Histological Studies of Mandibular Arterial System in Periodontal Diseases

The investigation was undertaken to clarify the relation between the changes of mandibular arterial system and periodontal diseases. The mandibles and the aortae from 73 autopsy cases were examined histologically. The age of the patient ranged from 13 to 85 year old. The results can be summarized as follows: 1) Arteriolosclerosis was noted in the branches of mandibular artery of all the cases with mandibular bone resorption periodontal disease (alveolar pyorrhea) 59 cases and edentulous jaw 12 case, whereas in two cases of gingivitis in which there was no evidence of bone resorption the mandibular artery was unremarkable. 2) The most striking change in the sclerotic artery and arterioles was intimal elastosis. Intimal hyalinization, thickening and edema were also observed. The media was variable though it was thicked in some. 3) Severity of arteriosclerosis of the mandibular artery was not positively correlated with that of the aorta. 4) The arteriosclerosis in the main trunks of mandibular artery seemed to have advanced with age, which sclerosis in the smaller blanches (arterioles) was in closer correlation with the degree of bone resorption. 5) Sclerosis of mandibular arterial system was considered to play a role (direct or indirect) in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease (alveolar pyorrhea) whici is characterized by bone resorption and periodontitis.