The vasculature of the rat molar gingival crevice.

Abstract

The vascular architecture of the gingival crevice around rat molars was investigated using the SEM vascular casting technique. The crevicular plexus consisted of two major vascular arrangements. The first was a planar network immediately subjacent to the crevicular epithelium extending from the crest of the free gingival margin down to the epithelial attachment. Arterial supply to the planar network came from the gingiva proper, but venous drainage from the plexus was directed into the periodontal ligament plexus as well as the deeper gingival vessels. The second major arrangement was a row of twisted vascular loops sited in the middle annular third of the crevice on the buccal and lingual. These loops exhibited a more complex vascular arrangement in the col and occupied most of the volume of the col tissue. The planar network in the interproximal col region narrowed to a thin band adjacent to the epithelial attachment. The morphological arrangements described in this project modify the description of Kindlova and Matena (1962) which has been accepted as a model for vascular architecture of the gingival crevice.