Periodontology

Periodontology is the branch of dentistry that studies periodontal tissues and correlated pathologies. It therefore deals with all the soft tissues (periodontal ligament and gums) and hard tissues (cement and alveolar bone tissue) surrounding the tooth, ensuring its stability in the alveolar arch.

Thus, the periodontist can assess the conditions of health of these tissues and implement therapies aimed at restoring optimal conditions to the oral cavity, essential for performing other operations such as prosthetics or orthodontics.

Periodontal disease (or periodontitis) begins when one or more elements of the periodontal apparatus, after having been colonised by numerous bacterial species, stop exerting their supporting role, causing tooth instability, considered by many as the genuine periodontal disease. This is an already advanced stage of the disease which could be prevented if more attention were paid to the evident signs that appear much earlier than tooth mobility.

It is impossible to say which element of the periodontal apparatus is the most important; however, alterations in the appearance of the gums are the most evident signs of periodontal distress, although these are often unfortunately only taken into account when periodontal disease is already at an advanced stage. In fact, the gums constitute the first obstacle and the first element to succumb to the attack of the microorganisms which, after having destroyed the gum-tooth connection, move down the root of the tooth, first damaging the periodontal ligament, then the cement, and lastly, the surrounding alveolar bone. Chronic periodontitis is always preceded by gingivitis which should be recognised in time and treated.

As far as the treatment of periodontal lesions is concerned, a series of more or less complex and radical clinical procedures can restore acceptable stability to the teeth when accompanied by adequate hygiene procedures at home.