Immunology and root resorption: a possible relationship

摘要

This work studied the relationship of immunology with dental resorptions, specifically the elements of the immunologic system that would directly act in the process which identifies the root of a dental element as something to be destroyed. A literature review was accomplished, from 1989 to 2005, through scientific articles published in the health area. The articles were obtained from databases such as PUBMED and BIREME. The two sets of responses that the immunologic system uses to combat foreign antigens, the innate and adaptive immune responses are approached in this review. Some studies showed the capacity of the immunologic system to interpret fractions of dentinary components as "nonself" structures, establishing the concept of dentinary antigen. Low serum levels of circulating anti-dentin antibodies in the blood of mice and dogs indicate the antibody-antigen interaction when crude extract of circulating dentin runs in their blood, what brought about researches that verified alterations in the levels of IgG and IgM in humans, shimmering the possibility of a serum diagnosis, which would enhance the precocious detection of dental resorptions. We concluded that dentin is not recognized as a self structure in the human immunologic system; probably being interpreted as a foreign antigen.