Introduction to mechanical plaque control The mechanical plaque control by humans is as old as the history of mankind. Dental literature is full of reports stressing the importance of maintaining oral hygiene. It has been known for centuries that a good oral hygiene is the primary requirement for healthy teeth and periodontium. However, the scientific…
Read MoreIntroduction Achieving complete periodontal health is the ultimate goal of the periodontal therapy. A thorough understanding of the etiopathogenesis of the periodontal diseases is essential to effectively treat them and to achieve complete periodontal health. The clinician should be able to judge the periodontal condition of the patient and establish a treatment plan that effectively…
Read MoreIntroduction to prognosis Establishing the prognosis of periodontally involved tooth or teeth is indeed difficult. Various studies have found that it is very difficult to determine the exact prognosis of periodontally compromised teeth after their appropriate periodontal treatment. Hirschfeld and Wasserman (1978) 1 in a study evaluated 15,000 teeth in 600 patients at least 15…
Read MoreIntroduction Periodontal diseases are one of the most prevalent oral diseases associated with teeth. Our current knowledge suggests that along with local factors, there are many other factors responsible for periodontal disease progression. These include genetic factors and environmental factors like smoking, stress etc. An accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning require a thorough knowledge…
Read MoreIntroduction Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of bacterial origin which causes progressive destruction of the periodontium that supports the teeth 1. Our present understanding of the host-bacterial interaction emphasizes multiple complex mechanisms involved in periodontal tissue breakdown. The conventional diagnostic techniques are based mainly on clinical parameters (such as probing depth, clinical attachment level)…
Read MoreIntroduction Radiographic diagnosis is a challenging task in periodontics. This is primarily because the conventional radiographs provide us the two dimensional image of a three-dimensional object. Thus, it becomes essential that the patient is diagnosed on the basis of combined information obtained from clinical and radiographic findings 1. The radiographs are broadly classified as extraoral…
Read MoreIntroduction to history taking Case history recording is the first and the most important step in the treatment of a patient. A correct diagnosis leads us to a correct treatment plan. The case history is a planned professional conversation with the patient that enables the patient to communicate their symptoms. The interest, warmth, and compassion…
Read MoreIntroduction to trauma from occlusion Do abnormal occlusal forces play a significant role in the initiation and progression of periodontal diseases? This question has been our focus of attention for many years. It is generally accepted that trauma from occlusion (TFO) or occlusal traumatism is a separate entity, not related to periodontitis. But, when both…
Read MoreIntroduction to occlusal trauma Occlusal trauma is detrimental to periodontal health. It may act as a cofactor which can increase the rate of progression of an existing periodontal disease. Thus, elimination of occlusal trauma is essential to achieve complete periodontal health. The first and foremost principle for the initial treatment of patients diagnosed with periodontitis…
Read MoreIntroduction to occlusion Occlusion plays an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases. A faulty occlusion may induce traumatic lesions in the supporting periodontal structures, thereby adversely affecting the long-term prognosis of tooth/teeth. Occlusion may also indirectly affect the periodontal health status by interfering with the plaque elimination and by influencing periodontal defense mechanism.…
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