Periodontics
| Definition: |
A dental specialty concerned with the histology, physiology, and pathology of the tissues that support, attach, and surround the teeth, and of the treatment and prevention of disease affecting these tissues. |
| Notes: |
SPEC: SPEC qualif |
Periodontics Categories.
 |
Dental Prophylaxis - Treatment for the prevention of periodontal diseases or other dental diseases by the cleaning of the teeth in the dental office using the procedures of DENTAL SCALING and DENTAL POLISHING. The treatment may include plaque detection, removal of supra- and subgingival plaque and calculus, application of caries-preventing agents, checking of restorations and prostheses and correcting overhanging margins and proximal contours of restorations, and checking for signs of food impaction. |
 |
Guided Tissue Regeneration - The repopulating of the periodontium, after treatment for periodontal disease. Repopulation is achieved by guiding the periodontal ligament progenitor cells to reproduce in the desired location by blocking contact of epithelial and gingival connective tissues with the root during healing. This blocking is accomplished by using synthetic membranes or collagen membranes. |
 |
Periodontal Dressings - Surgical dressings, after periodontal surgery, applied to the necks of teeth and the adjacent tissue to cover and protect the surgical wound. (Boucher's Clinical Dental Terminology, 4th ed, p218) |
 |
Periodontal Prosthesis - Any restorative and replacement device that is used as a therapeutic aid in the treatment of periodontal disease. It is an adjunct to other forms of periodontal therapy and does not cure periodontal disease by itself. (Boucher's Clinical Dental Terminology, 3d ed) |
 |
Subgingival Curettage - Removal of degenerated and necrotic epithelium and underlying connective tissue of a periodontal pocket in an effort to convert a chronic ulcerated wound to an acute surgical wound, thereby insuring wound healing and attachment or epithelial adhesion, and shrinkage of the marginal gingiva. The term is sometimes used in connection with smoothing of a root surface or ROOT PLANING. (Jablonski; Illustrated Dictionary of Dentistry, 1982) |
Periodontics Definitions and Terms
MedicalGlossary.org is designed as a free, browsable resource for all. The medical terms and definitions are not intended to replace medical informaion provided by licensed healthcare professionals. Please see a doctor if you need medical assistance. Don't see the medical term you were researching? Send us an e-mail from our "about us" page. We will do our best to research and classify new medical terms in a timely manner. Our current list of medical terms is over 26,000. Data sources include the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2004 Medical Subject Headings.
|