Paradontosis (affection of the periodontium) is an extremely wide spread disease (over 70%of the adult persons are affected in a certain degree), being one of the main causes of teeth loss. Nevertheless, this disease is treated superficially and in a late stage, the patients being unaware of its repercussions.
Paradontosis starts with gingival inflammations, which progresses in gingival and bone recession with the appearance of unesthetic spaces between teeth, leading to their movement and loss. The modern treatment of paradontosis implies a multidisciplinary approach of the disease which succeeds in maintaining the teeth on the arch and their functional reintegration for a time period as long as possible.
There is the idea that a healthy tooth is a tooth with no caries; this is a wrong view, because the tooth is fixed in the bone by a periodontal ligament (“periodontal” comes from the Greek language and means “around the tooth”. The disease is caused by the bacteria reaching this ligament, cause its inflammation, afterwards appearing a process of bone resorption and gingival recession. Because gingivitis does not manifest itself by pain, most patients do not go to the doctor, therefore allowing the disease to develop. The progress can go unnoticed for months or even years.
Signs of disease development:
- inflamed gum which “comes off” the teeth;
- Receding gum (which actually means a recession of the subjacent bone tissue), which anaesthetically uncovers the roots, giving the sensation of “long teeth”;
- Dental movement.
In order to prevent the development of these symptoms, patients must have a good oral hygiene, a healthy alimentation and to be provided with a professional hygienisation after a certain amount of time (the average is 6 months) – ultrasound teeth scaling, completed with a manual scaling, professional brushing, anti – inflammatory and anti – bacteriological local treatments. The periodontal disease, once developed, must be treated surgically and madicamentary as soon as possible, therefore ensuring the teeth lifetime extension.