Osteoimmunology in the Oral Cavity (Periodontal Disease, Lesions of Endodontic Origin, and Orthodontic Tooth Movement)

There are many pathologic conditions in the oral cavity in which there is an interaction between immune cells and bone. Several of these are of systemic origin such as Paget's disease, and other lytic or sclerosing lesions that can be found in the jaws. The two most common osseous lesions in the oral cavity are from periodontitis and endodontic lesions. Both are initiated by bacteria and cause bone loss due to a host response to bacteria. Another cause of accelerated bone remodeling is due to orthodontic tooth movement. The movement of teeth through bone is due to the impact of cells, in the periodontal ligament and is thought to involve leukocytes associated with a sterile host response to mechanical forces.