Category: Clinical Periodontology

Introduction to bone grafts Bone grafting procedure involves the placement of a bone graft in the periodontal bone defect to achieve regeneration of the lost bone volume. In orthopedics, bone grafts have been used for years. The first recorded bone implant was performed in 1668. It was Hegedus 1, who in 1923 attempted the use…

Introduction to guided tissue regeneration The ultimate goal of periodontal therapy is to restore the periodontal health and regeneration of the lost periodontal structures. The conventional non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapies lead to the cessation of the active periodontal disease, but in most cases, they result in repair and not regeneration or new attachment. New…

Introduction With the introduction and advancements in the surgical periodontal pocket therapy, our understanding regarding the type of bone defects and healing following flap surgeries improved dramatically. 1970’s and 80’s may be regarded as two decades when our basic understanding regarding surgical periodontal therapy improved and it was demonstrated that lost periodontal tissue can be…

Introduction to osseous resective surgeries The aim of surgical periodontal pocket therapy is to eliminate or reduce the periodontal pocket depth, achieving a healthy periodontium and creating a periodontal tissue architecture that facilitates the self-performed oral hygiene measures by the patient. The ideal method to treat periodontal pocket and periodontal bony defects is the regeneration…

Introduction The periodontal flap surgeries have been practiced for more than one hundred years now, since their introduction in the early 1900’s. There have been a lot of modifications and improvisations in various periodontal surgical techniques during this period. A detailed description of the historical aspect of various flap surgeries has been given in the…

Introduction to gingivectomy and gingivoplasty The gingivectomy is the oldest surgical approach in periodontal therapy. During the centuries, the technique has been modified. At present, the technique of gingivectomy that is followed most commonly was given by Goldman HM (1951) 1. Gingivectomy means excision of the gingiva. It is a definitive surgical procedure indicated for…

Introduction The primary etiology of periodontal diseases is various periodontopathogenic bacteria and their products. Plaque formation and maturation is the first step in the initiation of the periodontal disease process. The calcified plaque or calculus harbor plaque on its surface, thereby facilitating more plaque accumulation. Historically, it was well understood that achieving plaque and calculus…

Introduction to periodontal dressing The rationales 29, 30 for placing periodontal dressing are protection of wounds from post-operative irritation, preventing trauma, preventing salivary contamination, preventing gingival detachment from root surface, preventing coronal displacement of the flap where the flap has been apically positioned, providing additional support to free gingival grafts, splinting mobile teeth, reducing tooth…

Introduction to sutures The primary objective of suturing is to position and secure surgical flaps to promote optimal healing (primary healing). In other words, we can say that the flaps are immobilized to stabilize the wound. Suturing reduces post-operative pain and increases patient comfort. It also reduces the chances of infection in deeper tissues, like…