Micro‐CT analysis of chronic apical periodontitis induced by several specific pathogens

Abstract

Aim To conduct three‐dimensional micro‐CT analysis of bone destruction, periapical sclerotic changes and inflammatory root resorption (IRR) to compare the differences between Enterococcus faecalis (Ef)‐ and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg)‐induced chronic apical periodontitis (CAP). Methodology Mono‐species bacteria‐induced CAP was established in the first and second molars of the right maxilla and mandible of male Sprague–Dawley rats. Fifteen animals were divided into three groups with five rats in each group: control group, Ef‐CAP group and Pg‐CAP group. The maxilla and mandible were harvested and then scanned by micro‐CT. Alveolar bone destruction was evaluated by measuring the volume of alveolar bone resorption, bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb. Th), trabecular number (Tb. N) and trabecular spacing (Tb. Sp). The results were analysed using one‐way analysis of variance and Fisher's least significant difference methods (LSD). The sclerotic changes in the periapical bone were graded and the IRR indexes were scored. The data were analysed using the chi‐square test. Results The alveolar bone resorption volume of the Pg‐CAP group was significantly larger than that of the Ef‐CAP group (P < 0.01). In the maxilla, both Pg‐CAP and Ef‐CAP groups had a significant decrease in BV/TV and increase in Tb. Sp (P < 0.01) with the more significant changes of trabecular bone in the Pg‐CAP group. A significant reduction of Tb. N was only found in the Pg‐CAP group (P < 0.05). There was no significant change in Tb. Th in either group (P > 0.05). In the mandible, except for an increase in Tb. Sp in the Pg‐CAP group (P < 0.05), there was no significant change in BV/TV, Tb. Th or Tb. N (P > 0.05). No obvious sclerotic change was observed. IRR was detected in significantly more root surfaces in the Pg‐CAP group (240 surfaces, 60%) than those in the Ef‐CAP group (178 surfaces, 44.5%) (P < 0.001). The IRR extension was also significantly more advanced in the Pg‐CAP group (P < 0.05). Conclusions Pg‐CAP caused more substantial alveolar bone destruction and IRR than Ef‐CAP. The maxilla was more susceptible to CAP in terms of microstructural changes of trabecular bone than the mandible. Tb. Sp was the most sensitive index for evaluating the residual alveolar bone of CAP.

Chronic apical periodontitis exacerbates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E‐deficient mice and leads to changes in the diversity of gut microbiota

“…Using micro-CT to study CAP is a good option, but there is no consistent protocol for analysing CAP in rodents (Kalatzis-Sousa et al, 2017). Parameters found in similar work was used for analysing CAP in rodents (Chen et al, 2019). The results of the micro-CT revealed that P. gingivalis dental infection after pulp exposure induced CAP, with PALs found in 98.2% of the molars.…”

A Pilot Study of Chronological Microbiota Changes in a Rat Apical Periodontitis Model

“…Although rat apical periodontitis models to investigate endodontic infection have been introduced, most studies have focused on periapical lesions and histologic changes at a specific time point [ 14 , 22 ], and the chronological changes in the microbiota together with radiologic and histologic analyses has been poorly studied. Notably, there are some previous reports available on the induction of murine apical periodontitis by Enterococcus faecalis or Fusobacterium nucleatum [ 23 , 24 ] and rat chronic apical periodontitis by Porphyromonas gingivalis or E. faecalis [ 25 ]. Nonetheless, those reports have seemingly only limited applicability for the comprehensive understanding of the role of microbial communities responsible for the disease progress.…”

Celecoxib treatment dampens LPS‐induced periapical bone resorption in a mouse model

“…Considering that the main goal of the study was to evaluate anti-inflammatory drugs in treatment of apical periodontitis, a histological and histometric evaluation was performed to understand the signalling pathways and mediators involved in bone resorption. Such a method is commonly used to determine periapical bone loss in induced apical periodontitis (De Rossi et al 2008, Paula-Silva et al 2009b, 2016, Cintra et al 2014, but this analysis could be improved through radiographic and tomographic images as discussed elsewhere (Aksoy et al 2019, Chen et al 2019. This lack of radiographic image is one limitation of the present study, which should be better explored in future studies.…”

“…2019, Chen et al . 2019). This lack of radiographic image is one limitation of the present study, which should be better explored in future studies.…”