[Elastic system in human gingiva in health and periodontal disease]

We processed 28 samples of human gingiva in health or paradential illness, of 15 patients between 20 to 67 years old. In 306 histologies cuts we made different staining to light microscope. We analyzed presence, distribution, diameter and relations of the elastic, elaunin and oxytalan fibers. The patron of distribution fibrilar of the elastic system gingival was different than other zones of the body. The description had made in three zones of the gingival connective tissue: deep, subpapilar and papilar zones. The elastic fibers had less numerous and larger diameter than the elaunin y oxytalan ones. Their repair was irregular. The elaunin followed the colagen fibers. The oxytalan formed delicates nets in the lodge of connective tissue, inflamatories infiltrates and interfibrilar spaces. They came to the basal membrane perpendicularly or oblicualy, isolated or in little bundles. The fibers of elastic system increased principaly in inflamed gingiva of teeth with overburden, though they supported the low proportion that exist at health gingiva. They appeared at the little vases wall and were increased at zones next to edentate spaces. The analogy and close entail between the elaunin and oxytalan fibers to colagen ones, made think in a relation of reenforcement of colagen, increased at paradential illness.