The structural aspects of the flabby ridge or alveolar fibrosis.

Abstract

A flabby ridge or alveolar fibrosis is a dcnture-induced change of the oral mucosa. The flabby ridge originates when parts of the alveolar ridge becomes resorbed duc to excessive occlusal trauma on she denture in the affected area. In this case dlsc oral mucosa at the level of the flabby ridgc was studied using light microscopy, electron microscopy and inununohaislochemistry. The structures were compared with the normal oral mucosa of the maxilla. The flabby ridge was surgically removed and the specimens were immediately fixed in glutaraldehyde and further processed for light snicroscopy (paraffine embedding) and electron microscopy (aralditc embedding). Monoclomial antibodies against the Nervc Growth Factor Receptor (NGFR) anid the netirofilament proteiu (NF) were applicd to the specimens using the APAAP inethod. Special attention has been given to the inflammatory cells and especially to the mastocytes. The latter were stained using the high Iron and the May Grtiiiwald Giemsa method on paraffine sections and thionist snethlylen blue on aralditc sections. The flabby ridge prcsented a higha degree of issflammation combined witd fibrosis of the submucosa. The isnmunoreaclivity for NGFR and NF was decreased. The nunmber of neiec fibres in dlee connective tissue of the lamina propioa was low in comparison with the neural distribution in the nonnal oral mucosa.