Periodontal and femoral bone status in periodontitis-affected hamsters receiving a high dose indomethacin treatment.

The aim of this study was to test the effect of a high dose (6 mg/kg/d) of indomethacin, a PG-synthesis inhibitor, on hamster periodontitis and to verify a possible systemic skeletal action. Thirty animals were separated into three groups: control, untreated periodontitis-affected, and indomethacin treated groups. Compared to affected untreated animals, indomethacin reduced the number of osteoclasts (p less than 0.001) to the control level, and accordingly the extent of resorption (p less than 0.01). A partial decrease in reversal (p less than 0.05) was also obtained; the persistence of aborted reversal lacunae was the scar of the pretreatment period. The extent of formation was markedly increased by indomethacin (p less than 0.01). Bacterial plaque accumulation was not modified but PMNLs investing plaque were dramatically decreased (p less than 0.02). Indomethacin had no influence on the femoral periosteal remodeling, nor on metaphyseal and epiphyseal trabecular density, nor on growth plate thickness. These results confirm the positive effect of indomethacin on hamster periodontitis and emphasize the role of PGs on periodontitic bone disturbances, particularly on the uncoupling of the remodeling sequence. The reduction in PMNL migration is an important feature, which possibly participates in the improvement of the bone status. The lack of femoral changes indicates that a mid-term treatment with indomethacin has no detrimental action on ordered skeletal growth and bone mass.