Chronic hyperplastic pulpitis in young adult - Transmission Electron Microscope analysis

Introduction: The chronic hyperplastic pulpitis (Pulp Polyp) occur in deciduous and permanent teeth of young individual, characterized by excessive proliferation of the pulp tissue, chronic inflamed. Hypertrophic changes in the pulp of human teeth had not much been investigating through the transmission electron microscope. This kind of alteration consist a valuable source to study of the connective tissue in proliferative action. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the morphologic characteristics of the pulp polyp of the young individual in the light microscope and transmission electron microscope. Methods: It was analyzed 5 pulp polyps from first molar teeth of young adult. The polyps were fixed in 2,5% glutaraldehyde and they were divided in two, one-half was embedded in glycol methacrilate and the other half was embedded in an epoxy resin. Results: Light Microscope analyses of the polyps showed epithelization with difference in the degree of keratinization. It was observed mast cells between the epithelial cells. The connective tissue showed chronic inflammatory infiltration with many plasmacytes. The fine structure analyses showed the epithelial cells of basal layers with ovoid nucleus, cytoplasm with a great number of ribosomes and mitochondrias and fewer tonofibrils; the basement membrane was clear with several half-desmossomes. In the prickle layer cells were observed big cells, nuclei with slight chromatin; cytoplasm with a great number of ribosomes, mitochondrias and tonofibrils; presence of short prolongations of the plasma membrane with desmosomes. In the connective tissue were observed macrophages, mast cells and plasmacytes close to the epithelium. The deep region showed fibroblasts between collagen fibrils; blood vessels with prominent endothelial and adventitial cells. Conclusions: It may be concluded that epithelium of pulp polyps show morphologic characteristics similar to the epithelium of oral mucosa. The connective tissue shows characteristics of chronic inflammation of varied intensity.