What is the periodontium?
The periodontium is the tooth anchorage in the jawbone and consists of the gingiva, the root surface, the anchoring fibers and the jawbone itself.
The term "periodontium" refers to all the components that anchor the tooth in the jawbone. These include the gums (gingiva), the tooth-bearing jawbone, the anchoring fibers and the opposing anchoring structure on the root surface, the so-called root cement.
The periodontium ensures that the teeth are anchored in the jawbone. The anchoring fibers give the teeth their high functional resilience even when subjected to greater chewing forces. 1.4 What is the periodontium? The periodontium is the tooth anchor in the jawbone and consists of the gingiva, the root surface, the anchoring fibers and the jawbone itself. In a healthy tooth, the periodontium surrounds the entire tooth root. Only when the tooth anchor becomes inflammatory (periodontitis) does the tooth-supporting jawbone break down.
What is periodontitis and how common is it?
Periodontitis is one of the most common chronic diseases in humans. It is an inflammatory disease that affects all parts of the tooth anchorage.
As a result of inflammation of the gum line (gingivitis), the anchoring fibers and jawbone can break down. Instead of the healthy fiber apparatus, a so-called gum pocket forms along the tooth. The root surface there is covered with bacterial deposits (plaque and tartar).
The breakdown of the anchoring fibers and the jawbone can lead to increased tooth mobility. If the disease remains undetected and untreated, the breakdown can continue to such an extent that the teeth become unusable in their chewing function and have to be pulled (extracted). 1.5 What is periodontitis and how common is it? Periodontitis is one of the most common chronic diseases in humans. It is an inflammatory disease that affects all parts of the tooth anchorage.
Around 40 percent of the world's population suffers from periodontitis. It is estimated that around 70% of tooth loss in the adult population is due to periodontitis.
Why is it called periodontitis and not periodontosis?
Today, periodontitis is still incorrectly referred to using the outdated term “periodontosis”. The latter should no longer be used.
The disease of the tooth anchorage is now called periodontitis and no longer "periodontosis". The word ending "-itis" refers to an inflammatory disease, as is known in the case of gastritis. The correct term periodontitis therefore correctly describes the disease as an inflammation caused by bacterial plaque. The ending "-osis" refers to a non-inflammatory change, as used, for example, in the word "osteoporosis".
The outdated and today often incorrectly used term periodontitis used to refer only to the knowledge that this disease breaks down the anchorage of the teeth, without mentioning inflammation as the actual cause.
The more commonly used term “periodontitis” recognizes the fact that this disease can be controlled by reducing inflammation.
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Changes have been made