Complete (CFA) and incomplete (IFA) Freund's adjuvant was injected into the periodontium of sensitized marmoset, capuchin and rhesus monkeys. All animals developed a proliferative granulomatous reaction at the injection sites. There were, however, species specific differences in the degree of destruction associated with the CFA injection. The marmosets and capuchins developed a destructive periodontitis. In the rhesus monkey, the lesion was both bone destructive and bone inductive. Tubercles containing typical Langhan's type giant cells, but without central necrosis, were only produced by the rhesus monkey. Granulation tissue with no necrosis was produced by the marmoset and capuchin monkeys. While there was some degree of periodontal destruction in all CFA injected animals, it was most severe in the marmoset followed in descending order by the capuchin and by the rhesus. The injection of IFA into the periodontium of the same animals resulted in the formation of nondestructive highly proliferative granulation tissue.