Episodic Probing Attachment Loss in Humans: Histologic Associations

Abstract

Marginal periodontitis in humans is characterized by episodes of probing attachment loss followed by periods of quiescence. The purpose of the present study was to assess characteristics of the inflammatory infiltrate in periodontal lesions where episodic probing attachment loss had occurred within the previous month. In 10 systemically healthy adult human subjects with untreated advanced periodontitis, probing attachment levels were measured at baseline and every 30 days thereafter for 10 months. Measurements were made at six sites of every tooth using an acrylic onlay as a reference point and a pressure sensitive probe. Sites where double measurements confirmed that probing attachment loss of 2 mm or more had occurred within the previous month were identified (P‐sites), as were corresponding contralateral non‐progressing sites (C‐sites). Biopsies of the supracrestal tissues were taken from these sites, processed, and cut in 1 μ sections for histologic evaluation. Counts of inflammatory cells in standard areas of the sections were compared between P and C sites. The results indicated that 5.04% of 1566 sites under investigation lost probing attachment during the 10‐month observation period. Inflammatory cell counts were higher in P‐sites as compared to C‐sites. P‐sites with more than 2 mm attachment loss (P > 2 sites) had significantly more inflammatory cells within standard areas at the apical end of the junctional epithelium than non‐progressing C‐sites (PJ Periodontol 1990;61:420–426.