Comparative pathology of periodontal disease: I. Gorilla

A total of 292 gorilla skulls were examined for periodontal disease as evidenced by resorptive lesions of the alveolar bone. Osseous periodontal lesions consisting of horizontal resorption, furcation involvements, interproximal craters, fenestrations, and buccal vertical defects were observed in 76.4 per cent of the specimens. The roots of the maxillary first molar appeared to be most often involved with a fenestration defect. Measurements of the alveolar bone lesions appear to indicate that a severe vertical loss of buccal bone (dehiscence may result from a confluence of the increasing horizontal and fenestration types of alveolar bone resorption.