Intra-oral temperatures in man with special reference to involvement of the central incisors and premaxillary alveolar process in lepromatous leprosy.

The predilection of lepromatous leprosy for body sites substantially below core temperature is well known, and within the oral cavity the premaxillary alveolar process and upper central incisor teeth are especially affected. In this study, intra-oral temperatures were recorded by means of a series of thermistor probes applied to the teeth and labial surfaces of the gums of normal subjects. The temperature distribution established showed a close correlation with the known pattern of involvement of teeth and supporting structures derived from clinical, pathological and archeological data. Relatively low temperature of the premaxillary alveolar process was demonstrated, a factor which may be of prime importance for the localization of disease in this region, as it is for other tissues in the lepromatous patient.