Desquamated oral mucous epithelial cells taken from 14 patients with definite Sjögren’s syndrome and from 5 normal controls were examined for deposit of IgA, IgG, IgM and C₃ by a direct immunofluorescent method. Of 8 patients with sicca alone, 3 patients were shown to have a deposit of IgG, while one patient was shown to have both IgG and IgA. Similarly an IgG deposit was found in 2 of 6 patients associated with autoimmune diseases. No deposit of IgM or C₃ were seen in the patients. The 5 nomal controls showed no deposit of immunoglobulins or C₃. The result of the present study suggests that a deposit of IgG in oral mucous epithelial cells is a characteristic in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, especially in patients with sicca alone, though the diagnostic value of this method needs to be clarified in further studies.

A study was carried out by ¹²⁵I-photon absorptiometry in tooth extraction wounds of dogs to determine the bone mineral content of the mandibular premolar region. The bone mineral content of excised mandibles was measured on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21th, 28th, 56th, and the 84th day, respectively, after tooth extraction. These were then compared with the values obtained by photodensitometry and by histological findings.

The bone mineral content obtained by ¹²⁵I-photon absorptiometry varied within a range of 0.270 and 0.720g/cm², over a period of 84-days. The highest mineral content value was noted in the apical site. Lower values were noted in the central site and with still lower values in the marginal site.

In each case the bone mineral content which deacreased on the 3rd and 7th day after extraction tended to increase gradually thereafter. On the 56th and 84th day after tooth extraction, an increase in bone mineral in the margical site and a deacrease in the apical site was observed. This observation indicated that homogenization of the bone mineral occurred in the tooth extraction wound. Bone changes in the histological findings related to the healing process and the changes of values obtained by photodensitometry coincided with the changes shown in ¹²⁵I-photon absorptiometry.

Kinetics of the cellular immune response in inbred WHT/Ht mice with spontaneous growing transplantable cell carcinoma, was studied in its early stage. Soluble tumor antigen prepared by treatment with butanol appeared to release the contents of the plasma membrane serectively. In a micro mixed lymphocyte-tumor culture reaction (MLTR) test it was shown that crude butanol extracts (CBE) evoked a lymphocyte blastogenesis in normal mice, revealing that CBE contained a tumor associated antigen (TAA). In addition, optimal conditions in the MLTR were investigated. The maximum lymphocyte blastogenesis was observed on the 3rd day after culturing. Maximun stimulation was shown to occur when 1×10⁶/ml spleen cells were incubated with 0.13 μg/ml CBE. Tumor cells, inoculated under these conditions, and spleen cells, of tumor- bearing mice, were serially tested on each alternate day for 9 to 10 days by which time tumor palpation was possible. These studies showed that cellular immunity was suppressed on the first day but was much enhanced 2-4 days later, and was again greatly suppressed 5-10 days later. These findings show that negative cellular immunty is present in the early stages of spontaneous tumor-bearing WHT/Ht mice.

This paper deals with the application time, effectiveness, and usefulness of the new adhesive seal SI-3906 in the oral region. 35 patients visiting the periodontal clinic of Iwate Medical University Dental Hospital were divided into 5 groups according to their symptoms and necessary treatments such as stomatitis (8 cases), dentinal hypersensitivity (8 cases), scaling (6 cases), periodontal surgery (7 cases), and other injuries (6 cases).

The results were as follows:

1. The average application time for 30 patients (excluding 5 patients treated with periodontal dressing) was 4 hours and 56 minutes (the maximum being 5 hours and 38 minutes and the minimum being 3 hours and 43 minites in the scaling and other injury group, respectively).

2. The average application time for those with and without topical application of ointment was 5 hours and 29 minutes and 4 hours and 27 minutes, respectively.

3. The effectiveness of SI-3906 was 93% in the initial visit (26 out of 28 patients) and 100% in a subsequent visit (35 out of 35 patients).

4. The average application time at the gingivae was 6 hours and 4 minutes, at the tongue was 3 hours and 15 minutes, and at the lip was 2 hours and 54 minutes.

5. No side effects were observed. The adhesive seal was effective and useful in the protection of local irritation and in the promotion of topical medication in the intraoral region.

An experimental study was made in dog on the intentional retention of vital submerged tooth-roots covered by a mucoperiosteal flap, and their histopathological changes were examined 28 and 55 days after the operation. The results were as follows:

At the 28th days the amputated pulp was covered with newly formed dentin or dense fibrous connective tissue, and no remarkable pathological changes were noted in the amputated pulp tissue or its neighboring tissues. At the 55th days after the operation, the newly formed dentin, covering the amputated pulp, was thicker than that at 28 days, and all of the tooth-roots examined were retained in good condition. In a few cases, numerous bone trabeculae were formed above the cut root-surface.

The present results were more satisfactory than a previously reported method using the mucosal flap.

The purpose of this report was to make periodical quantitative and qualitative analyses as to how slight inflammatory changes affected the content of the neutrophils and desquamative epithelial cells within the gingival sulcus. Cytological specimens of the gingival sulcular cells were isolated using the washing and scraping method, and were compared both histologically and pathologically.

The results showed an increase in the desquamative epithelium when an enlargement of tke epithelial interstitium was present. Appearance of different types of stained cells were also observed depending upon the degree of inflammation. A marked increase in neutrophils was observed in relation to an enlargement of the interstitium, dilation of the capillary vessels, and a wide range of neutrophilic infiltration.

In conclusion, the above results showed a correlation between the neutrophils and the desquamative epithelium with the surrounding tissue changes of the gingival sulcus during inflammation.

Furthermore, the methods used in isolating the cytological specimens were shown to give adequate information for evaluating clinical conditions.

The effect on the angioarchitecture of bone grafts in the mandibular region after irradiation was investigated. Bridging rib grafts were carried out in 80 rats on the 14th day after irradiation with electron beam at 5-,10-,20-and 30Gy, and on 8 rats without irradiation. Transparent preparations of India ink and H. E. stain, as well as measurement of the vascular level showed the following results:

After irradiation of 5-and 10Gy or 20-and 30Gy, the body weight showed a phasic or a biphasic pattern. Howship lacunae appeared in the compact bone on the 7th and 14th day. New vessels penetrated into the bone marrow via Volkman’s and Harversian canals, and new bones were formed there. On the 30th day, new bone apositions on the inner or outer compact bone, a constriction of the bone marrow and a bridge between the recipient and the graft were observed. On the 60th day, new vessels and bones were actively formed at the periostium. The bridging bone became thick and the sinusoid-like vessels of the bone marrow expanded. Vascular levels of the compact bones and the bone marrow in both the non-irradiation and the irradiation groups gradually showed a tendency to increase on the 7th, 14th and 30th day, but decreased on the 60th day. However, only the bone marrow level increased even on the 60th day. On the other hand, at 5-and 10Gy most of the bone marrow levels showed a tendency to be lower than in the non-irradiation group, but at 20Gy most levels were near the levels of the control group.

Unusual reactions following the administration of a local anesthetic agent are frequently claimed by new patients.

Unfortunately, available clinical and laboratory tests are not always conclusive in either proving or disproving such claims. In such cases the patients are usually admitted to the hospital and dental treatment are accomplished under general anesthesia.

Since antihistamine is known to possess local anesthetic properties, Promethazine hydrochloride was used in two cases as a local anesthetic agent.

From the fact that a larger quantity of promethazine hydrochloride-epinephrine was required for satisfactory local anesthesia than Lidocaine-epinephrine, we suggest that it should be used under intravenous sedation or N₂O-O₂ inhalation.

A rare case of oral angiomyoma found in the tongue was presented. The patient was a 53-year-old Japanese male who had noticed a nodular mass in the apex of his tongue for nearly 20 years. The nodular mass was well circumscribed, elastic-hard in consistency, and 8mm in diameter. The covering mucosa was normal in appearance.

Histological findings of the surgically excised specimen corresponded to the venous type of angiomyoma. A review of the literature yielded only two cases of oral angiomyoma occurred in the tongue, including the present one, in Japan. An ultrastructural examination revealed that immature cells as well as intermediate cells between the immature cells and the myoma cells were frequently found throughout the lesion. Such finding suggests that angiomyoma originates from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells.

Lymphoepithelial cysts are usually found on the lateral region of the neck. They can be found only rarely in various regions of the oral cavity. A case of lymphoepithelial cyst, located in the floor of the mouth of a 62-year-old man, is reported here. The patient had been suffering from carcinoma of the mandibular gingiva. Surgical treatment was performed. The lymphoepithelial cyst was unexpectedly found in a histopathological examination of the operated material. This cyst was lined by a stratified squamous epithelium. The lymphoid tissue contained germinal centers. There was no evidence of recurrence either of carcinoma or lymphoepithelial cyst after 4 years.