Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
The Establishment of a Murine Mandibular Molar Extraction Socket Healing Model
Published on: January 13, 2023
[Histological analysis of dental follicles after unerupted mandibular third molar extraction]
J-C Harnet1, J-L Kahn, A Maniere-Ezvan
1UFR d'Odontologie de Nice, 24, avenue de Diables-Bleus, 06357 Nice cedex 04, France. jeanclaudeh7@gmail.com
Introduction:
The extraction of third mandibular tooth germ (M3) is often prophylactic to avoid orthodontic treatment relapse and to prevent infectious or tumoral diseases developing from the dental sac. The purpose of this study was to screen for early histopathological modification of dental follicles (inflammatory, infiltration, or epithelial metaplasia) after extraction of third mandibular tooth germ (M3) on asymptomatic patients. The secondary objective was to study the proliferative activity of the epithelium by dosing the anti Ki-67 antibody.
Patients And Method:
Twenty dental follicles extracted from 12 boys and eight girls between 14 and 18 years of age were examined under phototonic microscopy. The proliferative activity of the epithelium was assessed by immuno-histochemistry.
Results:
Three dental follicles presented with focal epidermoid metaplasia of the epithelium, without odontogenic tumoral proliferation. In all other cases, the cylindrical epithelial cell structure was normal. A mild chronic inflammatory infiltrate was present in 30% of the cases. Immuno-histochemical analysis revealed labeling of very rare epithelial lining cells, slightly more in cases presenting with metaplasia.
Discussion:
The prevalence of early morphological changes of dental sac is low. This histo-morphological study does not support the systematic extraction of asymptomatic mandibular tooth germs (M3).
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