The four mechanisms of dental resorption initiation

The aim of this study is to present a classification with a clinical application for root resorption, so that diagnosis will be more objective and immediately linked to the source of the problem, leading the clinician to automatically develop the likely treatment plan with a precise prognosis. With this purpose, we suggest putting together all diagnosed dental resorptions into one of these four criteria: 1) Root resorption caused by cementoblast cell death, with preservation of the Malassez epithelial rests. 2) Root resorption by cementoblasts and Malassez epithelial rests death. 3) Dental resorption by odontoblasts cell death with preservation of pulp vitality. 4) Dental resorption by direct exposure of dentin to gingival connective tissue at the cementoenamel junction gaps.

O presente trabalho propõe-se a apresentar uma classificação, com aplicação clínica, para as reabsorções dentárias, para que o diagnóstico seja objetivo e imediatamente ligado à causa do problema, levando automaticamente o clínico ao provável plano de tratamento e a um prognóstico preciso. Com esse objetivo, sugerimos agrupar cada caso clínico de reabsorção dentária em um dos seguintes grupos: 1) Reabsorções radiculares pela morte dos cementoblastos, com manutenção dos restos epiteliais de Malassez. 2) Reabsorções radiculares pela morte dos cementoblastos e dos restos epiteliais de Malassez. 3) Reabsorções dentárias pela morte dos odontoblastos, com manutenção da vitalidade pulpar. 4) Reabsorções dentárias pela exposição direta da dentina ao tecido conjuntivo gengival, nos gaps da junção amelocementária.

Interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-8 in healthy and inflamed dental pulps

After aggression to the dental pulp, some cells produce cytokines in order to start and control the inflammatory process. Among these cytokines, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) emerge as important ones. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the location, distribution and concentration of these cytokines in healthy and inflamed dental pulps. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty pulps, obtained from healthy third molars (n=10) and from pulpectomies (n=10) were used for the study, with half of each group used for immunohistochemistry and half for protein extraction and ELISA assays. Fibroblasts obtained from healthy dental pulps, stimulated or not by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), in order to simulate aggression on the cell cultures, were also used and analyzed by ELISA for IL-1β and IL-8 as complementary information. Data obtained from immunohistochemistry were qualitatively analyzed. Data obtained from ELISA assays (tissue and cells) were statistically treated by the t-test (p<0.05). RESULTS: Immunohistochemically, it was observed that inflamed pulps were strongly stained for both cytokines in inflammatory cells, while healthy pulps were not immunolabeled. ELISA from tissues quantitatively confirmed the higher presence of both cytokines. Additionally, cultured pulp fibroblasts stimulated by LPS also produce more cytokines than the control cells. CONCLUSIONS: It may be concluded that inflamed pulps present higher amounts of IL-1β and IL-8 than healthy pulps and that pulp fibroblasts stimulated by bacterial LPS produce higher levels of IL-1β and IL-8 than the control group.

Histologia da polpa dentária - uma revisão dos achados atuais / Pulp histology - A review of the present aspects

A polpa dentária constitui-se em um tecido conjuntivo frouxo, constituindo, junto com a dentina, o complexo dentino-pulpar. Quando examinada histologicamente, evidenciam-se diversos componentes celulares, dentre os quais destacam-se odontoblastos, fibroblastos, células mesenquimais indiferenciadas, macrófagos e outras células imunocompetentes, bem como, vasos sangüíneos e linfáticos, fibras nervosas e, permeando este conjunto, substância fundamental amorfa. Diversas funções desempenhadas pela polpa podem ser enaltecidas, especialmente, a formação da dentina, além de várias funções secundárias relacionadas à sensibilidade dentária, hidratação e defesa. Neste trabalho os autores desenvolvem uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a histologia do tecido pulpar, abordando os componentes celulares e os componentes extracelulares, bem como, as principais alterações histológicas observadas neste tecido associadas à senilidade