Histomorphometric study of the periodontal vasculature during and after experimental tipping of the rat incisor.

The periodontal vasculature encircling the entire length of the rat lower incisor was studied at the time of tipping movement and 3 months later. In 12 rats (212+/-4 g b.w.), loads (0.19+/-0.016 N) were applied to the lower left incisor in a linguointrusive direction. After 2 weeks of loading, six experimental animals were killed with the loading springs in place. The springs were removed in the six remaining rats, which were killed 12 weeks later. Six additional rats with intact teeth served as control. All incisors were fixed, demineralized, embedded in glycol methacrylate and cross-sectioned perpendicular to the long axis of the tooth. The distance of each section (2 microm) from the apex was calculated. A computerized image-analysis program was used to measure the width and area of the labial and lingual periodontal ligament to establish whether the measured segments corresponded to the compressed or expanded zones. In each cross-section, the various types of blood vessels were counted and the cross-sectional area of all venous vessels was measured. The results showed that after 2 weeks of loading (1) the general trend of vascular changes was similar under pressure and tension; (2) the large-diameter vessels were unaffected by loading; (3) the mean number of terminal arterioles had decreased significantly, while the number of capillaries and postcapillary venules had increased significantly in the apical tooth part; (4) the venous blood vessel area had decreased significantly in the apical tooth part; (5) the intensity of the vascular reaction was dependent on the degree of tissue distortion; and (6) after 12 weeks' recovery the vascular changes were still present, demonstrating a rebound effect. The findings suggest that microvascular alterations following tooth loading are not directly related to the spatial effect of loading itself and are of a much longer duration than expected.