Murine Model of Advanced Periodontitis Induced by Nylon Ligature in the Second Upper Molar

Periodontal disease (PD) is an inflammatory disorder affecting the supporting tissues of teeth and is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide. Its severe form, periodontitis, leads to the destruction of soft tissue, teeth, and bone. Animal models of periodontitis have been developed using primates, dogs, miniature pigs, and mice. Among these, the ligature-induced mouse model offers advantages such as rapid disease progression, reproducibility, predictability, and low cost while effectively replicating key aspects of human periodontitis. Mouse models using ligatures have provided valuable insights into the microbiological and immunological microenvironments of periodontal tissue, highlighting the critical role of biofilms in immune responses and their association with systemic diseases. This study presents a modified nylon ligation method for inducing periodontitis in mice. The modification involves using a nylon suture instead of a silk suture and placing it beneath the interproximal contact area rather than passing it through the contact point. This approach simplifies the technique while effectively inducing periodontitis. The detailed methodology for suture placement is graphically illustrated, and the progression of periodontitis is demonstrated through histological and histometric analyses.