This study was carried out in order to understand the histopathological finding of the root furcation involvement accompanied with periodontal diseases.
Materials used were 63 teeth from 18 autopsy and 12 biopsy cases. All the autopsy materials were serially sectioned and stained by hematoxylin-Eosin. Some of the biopsy specimens were stained by silver and Azan-Malloy.
We classified the furcation involvement into four groups after the modified Ree method, that is Grade, O, I, II and III.
In Grade O, the bony pocket extended to the furca but not apical to it, and the height of the alveolar crest remained coronal to the furcation. The pocket presented a radiolucent line or spot on the root surface coronal to the furcation.
In Grade I, the bony pocket extended apical to the furca, but the height of the alveolar crest remained coronal to the furcation. The pocket presented a radiolucent line or spot on the interradicular bone or on the root surface.
In Grade II, either facial or lingual bone loss extended beneath the furca. This bone resorption appeared as irregular areas of reduced radio-opacity beneath the furca and coronal to the bone with normal density.
In Grade III, both facial and lingual bone loss extended apical to the furcation. The bone resorption appeared on the X-ray film as sharply outlined radiolucent areas at the root furcation.
This time we examined the enamel pearls and the overlying cementum containing cementicles, and their significance to the furcation involvement.
In the Type I, enamel pearls were confined to the buccal or lingual surface of the cervical line, and was covered by a thin layer of cementum.
In the Type II, the enamel pearls distributed from the buccal or lingual suface to the center of the furca of the tooth. Enamel pearls near the center of furca was covered with cementum containing cementicles.
In the Type III, enamel pearls distributed to the entire furca, and were enclosed in thick cementum containing cementicles.
In conclusion, this investigation presented some histological features of the root furcation involvements accompanied with periodontal diseaes. The enamel pearls and the thickness of the covering cementum is important to understand the process of pathological involvement.
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