Gingival plasma cell granuloma.

Plasma cell granulomas (pseudotumors) are rare benign, tumor-like proliferations composed chiefly of plasma cells that manifest primarily in the lungs, but may occur in various anatomic locations. We report this case of a 54-year-old male who presented with an unusual maxillary anterior gingival overgrowth treated by excisional biopsy. Histological examination revealed a dense inflammatory cell infiltrate containing mainly plasma cells. Immunohistochemistry for kappa and lambda light chains showed a polyclonal staining pattern confirming a diagnosis of plasma cell granuloma. Intraoral plasma cell granuloma is exceedingly rare, although case reports documenting such lesions have been reported. This case highlights the need to biopsy unusual lesions to rule out potential neoplasms.

Effect of nicotine on fibroblast beta 1 integrin expression and distribution in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Integrins are a family of transmembrane cell surface glycoproteins, and those with the beta 1-subunit function in both cell-to-cell and cell-to-substrate adhesion. The purpose of this study was to determine nicotine's effect on the expression and distribution of the beta 1 integrin subunit on the human gingival fibroblast cell surface. METHODS: Pure nicotine was diluted in medium to the following concentrations: 0 (control), 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 microM. Human gingival fibroblasts (HFG) were grown for 24 hours in each concentration and fluorescein-labeled with a mouse monoclonal anti-human beta 1 antibody and secondarily incubated with a urease-labeled anti-mouse IgG antibody. After a final wash, the cells were incubated with urea/bromcresol blue substrate for 15 minutes at 37 degrees C and measured in a microplate reader at 570 nm. RESULTS: The integrin beta 1-subunit was detected on the HGF surface membrane by fluorescence labeling, and cell-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing demonstrated its decreased expression with increasing nicotine concentrations that were statistically different at the concentrations of 0.2 and 0.4 microM versus controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nicotine concentrations of 0.2 and 0.4 microM significantly decrease beta 1 integrin expression in human gingival fibroblasts that may affect cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion during wound healing.

Periodontal disease and its association with systemic disease.

Periodontal diseases are oral disorders characterized by inflammation of the supporting tissues of the teeth. Usually, periodontitis is a progressively destructive loss of bone and periodontal ligament (loss of the attachment apparatus of the teeth). Periodontitis has documented risk factors, including but not limited to specific plaque bacteria, smoking, and diabetes mellitus. Initially, the link between systemic disease and periodontal diseases was thought to be unidirectional. Currently, there is increasing evidence that the relationship between these entities may be bidirectional. Recent case-control and cross-sectional studies indicate that periodontitis may confer a 7-fold increase in risk for preterm low birth weight infants and a 2-fold increase in risk for cardiovascular disease. These early reports indicate the potential association between systemic and oral health. Additionally, these studies support the central hypothesis that periodontal disease involves both a local and a systemic host inflammatory response. This knowledge of disease interrelationships may prove vital in intervention strategies to reduce patient risks and prevent systemic disease outcomes. Based on the current evidence of the periodontal-systemic disease connection, the purpose of this report is to help establish the groundwork for closer communication between physicians and periodontists in the military health care setting.

Treatment of gingival recession with collagen membranes.

Periodontal plastic surgical techniques to obtain root coverage traditionally have utilized autogenous soft tissue grafts. Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) increasingly is being used as an alternative to soft tissue grafting in attempting root coverage. Resorbable membranes in GTR therapy prevent the need for a second surgery to harvest donor tissue. GTR membranes composed of collagen are effective barriers that add to the thickness of the overlying gingiva and possess platelet-aggregating properties that may help in early wound healing. The cases presented here demonstrate the treatment of gingival recession with a resorbable collagen membrane.

Gingival recession treatment using a bilayer collagen membrane.

Traditional periodontal plastic surgery techniques for the management of gingival recession have typically used soft tissue grafts to obtain defect coverage with great clinical success. Clinicians using guided tissue regeneration (GTR) techniques are also enjoying significant success in periodontal plastic surgery procedures. GTR therapy utilizing bioabsorbable membranes offers the advantages of preventing a donor site surgery and a second surgical procedure for barrier removal. A new bioabsorbable bilayer collagen membrane that readily adapts to bone and tooth surfaces by a gel formation of collagen fibers and blood may be stabilized without sutures prior to soft tissue closure. This bioabsorbable membrane has been shown to be effective in guided bone regeneration procedures and in treating periodontal defects. This case demonstrates the treatment of gingival recession with a novel collagen bilayer membrane.

Pluronic polyol effects on human gingival fibroblast attachment and growth.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced speed of human gingival fibroblast (HGF) spreading and attachment, as affected by ionic bonding interactions, may facilitate cell orientation and subsequent collagen synthesis to promote early wound healing. The purpose of this study was to determine the in vitro effects of pluronic polyols, a family of widely used surfactants currently used as drug carriers for antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neoplastic agents, on the attachment and growth of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) to dentin and plastic surfaces using established tissue culture techniques. METHODS: Plastic culture wells containing Eagle's minimal essential media (EMEM) with 10% fetal calf serum and Pluronic F-68 or F-127 in concentrations from 1.2 x 10(-2) to 1.2 x 10(-10) M were incubated with HGF and run in replicates of ten. Attached cells were quantified by measuring the optical density of methylene blue-stained cells. Additional experiments were conducted using human dentin sections as a substrate and Pluronic F-68 or F-127 at a concentration of 1.2 x 10(-8) M. In these experiments, HGF were stained with acridine orange and quantified per unit area of dentin by fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: Attachment and growth of HGF to both plastic and dentin were significantly increased over serum controls by very low concentrations of Pluronic F-68 and F-127 by 30 minutes, with attachment reaching a plateau at 2 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Pluronic polyols, a family of widely used surfactants, in very low dosages may be beneficial in early postsurgical wound healing by facilitating early attachment and enhancing the growth rate of human gingival fibroblasts.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and periodontitis. A case report.

BACKGROUND: We describe an unusual case of extra-nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that developed in the maxillae associated with localized severe periodontitis in a 64-year-old Caucasian male. The lymphoma was diagnosed less than 2 years following routine periodontal surgery and 8 weeks after the extraction of hopeless teeth in the associated area. METHODS: Two months following the extractions, the patient experienced pain and swelling in the maxillary right edentulous area mimicking an abscess, and reported for emergency care. An expansile lesion measuring 2.0 x 2.5 cm in diameter was noted on radiographic examination to extend into the right maxillary sinus. A definitive biopsy diagnosis of high-grade, small, non-cleaved, diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the right posterior maxillae was established. The patient was subsequently treated by a combination of radiation, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplantation. RESULTS: The maxillary tissues healed uneventfully, and the patient has been closely observed for approximately 5 years without symptoms or recurrence of the lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the need for careful debridement of extraction sockets associated with severe periodontitis and argues for the routine submission of extracted teeth with adjacent soft tissue for microscopic analysis, to assist in the early diagnosis of potentially life-threatening malignancies.

Gingival augmentation with a dermal allograft.

Gingival augmentation surgery with soft tissue autografts long has been the standard for increasing the width of keratinized oral tissue. Acellular dermal allografts, which have been used for several years by reconstructive surgeons, are a novel technique for achieving increased gingival tissue in place of soft tissue autografts. This report describes a case of gingival augmentation via an acellular dermal allograft. Reduced morbidity from donor site grafts and increased patient acceptance, along with highly successful clinical results, are the primary advantages of this acellular dermal allograft.

Estrogenic hormones and dental implant therapy: the effects of estrogen and progesterone levels on osseointegration of dental implants.

Successful rehabilitation of female service members suffering traumatic injuries to the maxillofacial region is both a physiological and a psychological issue. A clinical evaluation to determine if an association exists between sex hormone levels and dental implant success was undertaken. Endosseous dental implants were placed in three patient groups: (1) male controls, (2) females with high estrogen, and (3) females with low estrogen. Female groupings were based on ovulation cycles. Serum estrogen (ng/dl), serum progesterone [ng/dl], and serum interleukin-6 (pg/ml) were determined at time of implant placement. Pre- and postsurgical photographs and vinyl-polysiloxane impressions were taken to evaluate crestal alveolar bone loss. Upon data analysis, the authors concluded that the balance of alveolar osseous wound healing was not influenced by temporal fluctuations in the ovulatory cycle.

Pyogenic granuloma associated with guided tissue regeneration: a case report.

A pyogenic granuloma is an exuberant growth of granulation tissue secondary to irritation. Intraorally, it can present with a wide array of clinical appearances, ranging from a sessile lesion to an elevated mass. Pyogenic granulomas generally are soft, painless, and deep red to reddish-purple in color. They are usually 0.5 to 1.0 cm in diameter, more common in females, and often found on the keratinized tissue. This case is interesting because the pyogenic granuloma was found associated with guided tissue regeneration and the lingual alveolar mucosa. The lesion arose after demineralized freeze dried bone allograft and an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane were utilized to repair osseous defects. Five weeks after surgery, the patient presented for routine follow-up where suppuration associated with the membrane was noted along with an exophytic growth of the lingual alveolar mucosa. The ePTFE membrane was removed alone with an excisional biopsy of one of the growths. By 10 days after the removal of ePTFE, the lesion spontaneously healed. Histologic evaluation of the tissue was consistent with a pyogenic granuloma. This is the first case in the literature of a pyogenic granuloma associated with a routine guided tissue regenerative surgery using a non-resorbable membrane and allograft.