Root resorption and signs of repair in Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome. A case study.

The aim of this investigation was to describe some tooth-related histological features of prepubertal periodontitis. Teeth extracted during treatment of two Papillon-Lefevre syndrome patients were processed by means of the sawing and grinding technique. Light microscopy examination revealed little or no cementum in the coronal parts of the roots. Resorptions of various depths (0.02 to 1.5 mm) and to various extents (affecting up to 1/3 of the root surface) were observed in the 5 investigated teeth. Some resorptive defects on 1 of the examined incisors showed signs of spontaneous repair. Extrinsic fibers were inserted into the new cellular intrinsic fiber cementum which had formed directly on the bottom of the defect. Intact acellular extrinsic fiber cementum was found where fibers were still attached. Here, the characteristic of pristine cementum, a hyaline layer of peripheral dentin, could be identified. If resorption was not present, the cementum did not show any signs of hypoplasia. Thus, histological features of prepubertal periodontitis in the current material were (i) areas of extensive resorption, (ii) signs of spontaneous repair, and (iii) healthy cementum.