PERIDONTOLOGY
Peridontology is a very important part of dental science that has become inevitable issue in high quality conservative prosthetic treatment and is related to the healthy conditions of gingiva, bones and the rest of support tissue. Therapy includes education about oral hygiene, scaling of dental plaque and even more complex surgical procedures, such as curettage, flap surgery, etc.
Periodontal diseases (periodontopathies), i.e. diseases of gingiva, lower jaw and adjoining ligaments, are the second most spread diseases of the modern world, preceded only by caries! The most common cause for periodontopathy is DENTAL PLAQUE which in itself contains several hundred different bacteria species. Unless regular dental hygiene is maintained, plaque gets mineralised which leads to the formation of DENTAL CALCULUS.
Active bacteria from dental plaque and calculus cause the infection of gingiva, the GINGIVITIS. It is characterised by voluminous, swollen gingiva that bleeds at the slightest touch. You have probably noticed that there is some blood on your toothbrush after brushing your teeth. That is the first sign of gingival problems.
Unless gingivitis is treated, the bacteria will continue to advance into the inner parts of the teeth support tissue, thus causing  PERIODONTITIS, i.e. the inflammation of bone and ligaments. The course of this infection is usually slow, accompanied by no subjective symptoms (pain, swelling, etc.). However, unless it is treated, it can result in partial or total loss of the teeth support tissue. The ultimate consequence is a loose tooth and eventually the loss of a tooth.
PERIODONTITIS THERAPY
Initial or starting therapy involves the removal of plaque and dental calculus, and most importantly, the education of the patient about correct and daily maintenance of oral hygiene.
If significant bone destruction has occurred, followed by strong loosening of the tooth, various periodonto-surgical methods will be applied in order to compensate for the loss of bone and in an attempt to prevent the loss of tooth.
The most important factor in the curbing of periodontal diseases is prevention.
Preventive measures would include daily and quality oral hygiene, dental check-ups, regular removal of plaque and polishing of dental surfaces, in order to eliminate bacteria colonisation.
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