The biology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases: scientific advances in the United States

Abstract

Background: Major scientific advances in periodontology in the past 150 years have fundamentally changed how clinicians detect and treat periodontal diseases. These advances include the demonstration that gingivitis and periodontitis are biofilm-induced infections caused by components of the indigenous oral microbiota, and that host inflammatory-immunologic responses to these microbial challenges are responsible for most of the observed tissue damage.

Types of studies reviewed: In this brief overview, the authors focus on the discovery of the relationships between dental plaque and the host periodontal tissues. They highlight some of the pioneers in the United States who shaped new approaches to prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.

Results: Biofilms that cause gingivitis and periodontitis are complex polymicrobial communities that are resistant to antimicrobial agents and host defense mechanisms. An increased understanding of natural inflammation-resolving mechanisms suggests that control of inflammation is at least as important as is antimicrobial therapy in the treatment of periodontal infections. Data from randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that most conventional forms of periodontal therapy are effective as long as patients comply with posttreatment maintenance programs.

Conclusions: Many mechanisms involved in the repair and regeneration of periodontal tissues have been identified. Results of laboratory studies of factors that enhance prevention and treatment of periodontal disease have made the transition to clinical practice. Advances in the fields of molecular biology, human genetics and stem cell biology have set the stage for significant discoveries that will pave the way for the development of procedures needed for the predictable regeneration of periodontal tissues. As a result, new generations of people in the United States can expect to retain a healthy and functional dentition for a lifetime.