Changes in the Middle Ear Mucosa of Guinea Pigs After the Insertion of Preserved Teeth: A Pathologic Study

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we analyzed the pathologic changes in the middle ear mucosa after the insertion of preserved allograft teeth in guinea pigs by examining serial sections under the light microscope. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen pigmented guinea pigs were included in this 2-stage study. In the first stage, 2 guinea pigs were killed, and a preservation technique that included autoclave sterilization was applied to their teeth. The proximal 3 quadrants of the dentition, including the root and pulpa, were separated from the distal quadrant, (approximately 1 mm3). In the second stage, a fragment was placed in the middle ear mucosa of the 12 remaining guinea pigs. The guinea pigs were coupled randomly, and was sacrificed sequentially on study days 3, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60. The temporal bones were excised, and sections were obtained. The preparations were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and were analyzed under the light microscope. RESULTS: Although the pathologic changes surrounding the teeth were concordant with acute inflammation on the third and fifth postsurgical days, evidence of chronic inflammation was first noted on the 10th day after surgery. That inflammation subsided on the 20th day, and a fibroepithelial capsule encircled the teeth. Assessments on the 40th and 60th postsurgical days revealed that the inflammation was progressively resolving. CONCLUSION: The middle ear mucosa did not reject the preserved allograft teeth; instead, the implants were accepted as autologous tissue. No formation of new bones or resorption occurred during the brief follow-up period. From the Departments of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (Kubilay U., Sezen O.S., Ünver, Coßkuner T.) and Pathology (Gül A.E.), Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey