Abstract
Periodontal disease is an infectious disease affecting the supporting tissue of the teeth, periodontium. The main purpose in the treating periodontal disease is removal of plaque, which is a mass of bacterial accumulation on the tooth surface and is the cause of the disorder, and to prevent re-infection by controlling the supra-gingival plaque that was its origin. As a result of the findings of Jan Lindhe's research group and other Scandinavian researchers, a Scandinavian approach to periodontal therapy has developed, based on non-surgical therapy or restricted surgical indications, scrupulous plaque control and use of antiseptics and antibiotics.
Main aim of the treatment is to stop the progression of the disease. This was accomplished in the middle of 80s. Since the late 80s there has been a paradigm shift in the purpose of the periodontal treatment from prevention of infection toward regeneration of the lost periodontium. The first biologically oriented approach is the Guided Tissue Regeneration technique, which was developed by the Gothenburg Univ. group consisted of Drs. Jan Lindhe, Sture Nyman and Thorklid Karring. The second generation of regeneration procedure is Emdogain® therapy based on the biologic process of developing tooth roots and their supporting tissues. The technique was introduced from Sweden and well accepted.
Recently, dental implants, which have been used in edentulous jaws, have been applied to partially absent teeth, and its utility has been confirmed. Sometimes the removal of several teeth cannot be avoided in patients with severe periodontal disease. In such cases implants have begun to be used to restore lost oral cavity function.
