OBJECTIVETo study the effect of gradually induced occlusal disorders on the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) of condylar cartilage in rat.

METHODSThe model of gradually induced occlusal disorders was established in rat. The expression of bFGF was examined by SABC technique of immunohistochemistry. The expression of bFGF was analyzed by amount of positive cells.

RESULTSbFGF was expressed positively in the proliferative cell layer, maturative layer and hypertrophical cell layer in the rat mandibular condyle cartilage. In control group, expression of bFGF increased from 2-week-old to 6-week-old, then it had a decrease during experiment. Compared with the control group, bFGF of experiment group was increasing at 2 week, 6 week and 8 week during experiment. But there was decreaseing at 4 week. There was no difference between young experiment group and the adult experiment group.

CONCLUSIONThe gradually induced occlusal disorders may lead to significant increase of expressiong of bFGF in condyle cartilage, which suggests that the bFGF may be involve in the procedure of repairing process of articular cartilage.