The Relation of MMPs with the Pathogenesis of Impacted Tooth

Tooth eruption is a complex mechanism which requires root elongation, alveolar bone remodelling and periodontal ligament organization. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are group of enzymes that play an important role in tissue remodeling especially proper collagen remodeling including tooth eruption. To date examination of dental follicle and mineralized tissues of teeth reveals that MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-12 and MT1-MMP are the most related possible MMPs of tooth eruption. Herein we aimed to determine the relation between MMPs and tooth impaction. For this purpose, we compared the immunohistochemical expressions of MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-12 and MT1-MMP in dental follicles with in normal gingival tissues.

Method:

29 dental follicles of impacted third molars were included in this study. 24 normal gingival tissue samples were used as the control group. The expressions of MMP-2, MMP-3 and MT1-MMP were evaluated in epithelium, vessel wall, fibroblasts and inflammatory cells. However, the expression of MMP-12 was evaluated only in macrophages. The severity of inflammation was also evaluated in each sample. For the statistical tests, the significance level was set at p ˂ 0.05.

Result:

There were no statistically significant differences for the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-3 and MT1-MMP in all component of tissues between the study and control groups. The statistically significant difference was found only for the expression of MMP-12 in macrophages. It was also found that the severity of inflammation increases the expression of MMPs in all epithelium, vessel wall, fibroblasts and inflammatory cells.

Conclusion:

The results were evaluated comparing with the other results in the literature and this study showed that the failure of matrix metalloproteinase activation might be playing a possible role in the pathogenesis of impacted tooth.