Effects of removing inferior alveolar neurovascular structures on mandibular growth and the eruption of permanent dentition in puppies.

Investigation was performed on the effects of removing the inferior alveolar neurovascular structures on the permanent dentition and mandibular growth. Five puppies with erupted deciduous teeth had the inferior alveolar neurovascular structures removed unilaterally. When the test animals were 28 weeks old, examination revealed that the deciduous teeth on the side operated had exfoliated but permanent teeth did not replace them. On the other hand, the permanent teeth on the side not operated on replaced the exfoliated deciduous teeth. After a second period of 28 weeks, the germs of the permanent teeth on the side operated on were still buried in the mandibular bone, and the permanent teeth on the side not operated on erupted normally. Mandibular measurements demonstrated that translative and transformative growth and developmental processes were normal in both the sides operated on and the sides not operated on.