Histopathologic and immunohistochemical investigations of dental abscess formed in maxillofacial area.

Abstract

An abscess is a pocket of pus that forms around the root of an infected tooth. In this study, we aimed to investigate the extracellular matrix proteases ADAMTS1, ADAMTS4, osteonectin, and osteopontin expressions in abscess fluid cells in jaws after implantation and prosthesis operation. In this clinical study, abscess fluids belonging to 17 patients who applied to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically. In the histopathological examination of the abscess fluid, separation of chromatin bridges in the nuclei of neutrophil cells, pyknosis and apoptotic changes in the nucleus, degenerative change in the cytoplasm, and occasional vacuolar structures were observed. The positive reaction of ADAMTS1 was observed in fibroblast cells, plasma cells, and macrophage cells. The positive reaction of ADAMTS4 was observed in fibroblast cells, osteoclast cells, and some apoptotic leukocyte cells. Osteopontin expression in osteoclastic cells and polymorphonuclear cells was defined as positive. Osteonectin expression was positive in polymorphonuclear leukocytes and hypertrophic fibroblast cells. ADAMTS1 and ADAMTS4 may induce bone destruction with its distinctive property in alveolar bone resorption, which promotes the activation of osteoclasts, which can accelerate the destruction of the extracellular matrix in the acute phase. Furthermore, osteoclastic activity increased with the increase of osteonectin and osteopontin protein expression due to inflammation in the abscess cases.