The early effects of surgical sympathectomy on bone resorption in the rat incisor socket.

Earlier studies have shown that one week after sympathectomy in the rat, both bone apposition and resorption are significantly altered. Resorption in the incisor socket was now examined 1, 3 and 5 days after surgical sympathectomy. Morphometric analyses indicated that the total resorbing surface, active resorbing surface and number of osteoclasts per socket were increased one day after sympathectomy; the area and length of the bone surface of the socket were not significantly altered. Sympathetic denervation thus affects bone resorption within the first few hours after surgery.