Application of the iodide clearance technique to monitor local changes in periodontal ligament blood flow.

The present study was undertaken to validate a newly developed technique for monitoring blood flow changes with local clearance of 125I- in the periodontal ligament (PDL). The tracer substance was allowed to diffuse into the intact PDL via a cavity that was drilled from the root canal out towards the root surface. Electric stimulation of the cervical sympathetic trunk caused a reduction in the clearance rate of the tracer from the cavity in a frequency-dependent manner. Intra-arterial infusions of noradrenaline also induced decreases in clearance rate. Intra-arterial infusions of the vasodilators substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide induced increases in clearance rate. The present technique makes it possible to monitor local blood flow changes in the intact PDL during both decreases and increases in blood flow.