Periodontitis - What is it?

Periodontitis is the term that describes an attachment loss around the teeth. The teeth are surrounded by gum tissue and supported by bone. Overtime, and usually many years, the inflammation in the gingiva, and the inflammatory response of the immune system leads to loss of bone around the teeth. When the bone loss becomes severe the teeth can become loose, or actually fall out.

For patients with a history of periodontal disease (non-active), a more frequent recare schedule of every 3-4 months known as a periodontal maintenance program is recommended to keep the inflammation from recurring and halt the progression of the disease.