Periodontics For the General Dentist

Periodontitis is an extremely complex inflammatory disease, in certain cases if detected early it can be reversible if no bone destruction occurs and leading to retention of teeth. However, managing periodontal patients can be a rewarding and frustrating process for both patient and providers due to numerous systemic and anatomical factors that can serve as significant risk factors in preventing an ideal outcome. If patients are not educated or are unaware of why they are more at risk for periodontitis, the patient is continually receiving treatment that is not identifying the etiology of their condition. This is extremely important in areas where any removable or fixed prosthesis is treatment planned with the possible usage of implant therapy due to the concern of recurrence of periodontal disease.

Topics that will the covered include

1. Being able to understand the importance of non-surgical & surgical therapy

2. Understanding what key anatomical contributing factors can lead to periodontitis, and how to rectify these issues

3. Understanding the difference between resection and regeneration in regards to periodontal therapy

4. The important relationship between restorative and periodontal therapy, and how both entities are intertwined

5. When should we try to save or extract teeth, and the practicality or periodontal therapy

6. Importance of identifying soft tissue lesions and the need for biopsies

7. When to refer to a specialist, or is maintenance sufficient for a patient with periodontitis