[Changes of microvascular patterns of the palatine mucosa under the denture base]

Microvascular changes of the denture-bearing mucosa on the hard palate of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) were investigated on microvascular casts utilizing the acryl plastic injection method (Taniguchi, Ohta et al. 1952, 1955) under SEM and ultrastructure of the endothelium of the blood capillary and surrounding tissues under TEM. The results obtained were as follows: 1. SEM findings of microvascular casts were by 10 days after setting the experimental denture capillary loops appeared a simple hair-pin shape. By 30 days the loops changed into a kind of sinusoidal networks. By 60 days the loops of the network began to sort out and to reform into hair-pin shape. 2. Aspects under the light microscope and SEM were essentially similar to those of its serial changes of the capillary loops. 3. Aspects under TEM were fenestrated capillaries have altered to continuous ones after 10 days, and again reformed to the fenestrated capillaries by 60 days. From the above results, it can be said that, although the subepithelial microcirculatory system is temporarily affected by the placement of an experimental denture, it may adapt itself to the mechanical stress of the pressure and so before recovering.