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Scleroderma: oral manifestations
Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, and Oral Pathology
|July 1, 1981
Summary
Scleroderma patients often show elevated blood sedimentation rates and antinuclear factors, which correlate when both are present. All patients exhibited widened periodontal ligament space, indicating its significance in scleroderma.
Area of Science:
- Oral Medicine
- Radiology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease affecting connective tissues.
- Oral manifestations in scleroderma can impact patient quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate oral clinical and radiologic findings in scleroderma patients.
- To correlate laboratory markers with clinical and radiologic findings.
Main Methods:
- Clinical examination of oral structures.
- Radiologic assessment of jawbone morphology.
- Laboratory analysis of blood sedimentation rate and antinuclear factor.
Main Results:
- Elevated blood sedimentation rate and antinuclear factor observed in 50% of patients, with good correlation when both were present.
- Limited mouth opening was common.
- Widening of the periodontal ligament space was a universal finding across all patients and teeth.
- Gross jawbone changes were noted in four patients, but without correlation to clinical or laboratory findings.
Conclusions:
- Widening of the periodontal ligament space is a consistent radiographic feature in scleroderma.
- Elevated inflammatory markers may indicate disease activity.
- Further research is needed to understand the pathogenesis of severe jawbone changes.