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Effect on human teeth of renal transplantation: a postmortem study
K Näsström1, B Möller, A Petersson
1Department of Oral Radiology, School of Dentistry, University of Lund, Malmö, Sweden.
Scandinavian Journal of Dental Research
|August 1, 1993
Summary
Renal transplant patients may experience significant dental pulp changes, including widened predentin zones or reduced pulp chamber size due to secondary dentin deposition. Corticosteroid dosage may influence these dental alterations.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Nephrology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Renal transplantation is a life-saving procedure.
- Patients undergoing renal transplantation often receive immunosuppressive therapy, including corticosteroids.
- Long-term effects of renal transplantation and its treatments on dental tissues are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the radiographic and histologic changes in the dental pulp of deceased patients who received renal transplants.
- To compare these dental changes with those in healthy individuals.
Main Methods:
- Radiographic and histological examination of extracted teeth from five renal transplant recipients.
- Comparison with teeth from age-matched healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Three patients showed normal radiographic pulp chamber size but a significantly widened predentin zone histologically (approx. 4x controls).
- Two patients exhibited reduced radiographic pulp chamber size, with histological evidence of extensive secondary dentin deposition and markedly reduced pulp space.
- Differences in pulp changes may correlate with corticosteroid dosage, with higher doses linked to extensive pulp calcifications.
Conclusions:
- Renal transplant recipients can display distinct dental pulp alterations, including predentin widening or secondary dentin deposition.
- These changes suggest an impact of renal transplantation and/or its therapeutic regimens on dental tissue homeostasis.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms and clinical implications of these findings, potentially linking corticosteroid exposure to pulp alterations.