The EFFECT OF DIETARY CONSISTENCY ON THE CROWTH OF MANDIBULAR CONYLE IN RATS

Abstract

,.A hundrad young albino rats were used in the present study. r.o:. '••.. They were. divided into three groups. The first group included

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0 # : fourty ratwhich were subdivided into two subgroups: subgroup

.... ...-.(. o.J 0 ..t, ... ,.. _._ • '-• • .;, /A, included twenty rats from birth to weaning; five animals were -t?_ • D 'r 0 .. _ ;. •k-ill.e,G•i;{at birth, the end of first, second and third weeks. Subgroup ' B included twenty rats that were fed an ordinary pellets (cereal

grains) and four animals were killed at the end of fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth weeks. The second group included thirty rats which were fed a hard diet (which prepared in a mincing machine and dried in a current of warm air). Six animals

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were killed at the end fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth weeks. The third group included thirty rats, that were fed a soft diet (milk), six animals were killed at the end of fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth weeks. The effect of these differences in dietary consistency on the growth of the mandibular condyle were examined histologically. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain for general structure of the tissue, and with Masson's trichrome stain for collagen fibres. The sections were examined by the ordinary light microscope.

Generally, the soft diet rats had smaller condyles, with decreased thickness of the condylar cartilage. The subchondral bone trabeculae were decreased in size and number and separated