[Morphological changes in the gingiva in collagen disease, uncomplicated or complicated by odontogenic infection]

Biopsy specimens of the gum of patients with systemic lupus erythematodes, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerodermia, complicated or not with chronic odontogenous infection, and of 10 those of practically healthy persons with chronic odontogenous infection were studied. In patients with collagenous diseases outside the odontogenous infection foci there were observed considerable lesions of the microcirculatory bed vessels, largely of inflammatory nature.--productive vasculitis of the epithelium and connective tissue of the mucosa proper of the gum. The immunopathological character of the above-mentioned lesions in some cases was confirmed by the immunofluorescent method of investigation. The observed changes in vessels and the connective tissue of the gum in collagenous diseases reflected a locally generalized vasopathy of immune character and systemic disorganization of the connective tissue. Studies of gum biopsy materials in patients with collagenous diseases taken from chronic odontogenous infection foci revealed inflammatory changes in the gum tissues much more serious than in practically healthy people in analogous foci od odontogenous infection. Lesions of the gum in patients with collagenous diseases, not complicated with odontogenous infection, represented a background which aggravated the effect of this infection on the gum.