Oral Manifestations of Ionizing Radiation

Abstract

398 rats were used in a radiation study designed to determine the effects on tooth development of a large single dose of X-rays to the head. Twenty-one day old white rats were exposed to 1500 r of 200 KV filtered X-ray and compared with untreated litermate controls. Striking changes were observed in developing incisor teeth of irradiated animals sacrificed 100 days following treatment. It was apparent from gross roentgenologic and histologic studies that there was a tempory stoppage of tooth formation due to damage or destruction of the physiologically active odontogenic cells. The differentiation of new tooth-forming cells from the tooth germ permitted 2d teeth to be formed. In the mandible, the newly formed teeth grew laterally to the original teeth, making it appear as though the rats had 4 incisor teeth in the lower jaw.