Lisa Chacko

The alveolar process is sensitive to a variety of environmental and physiologic factors that influence its ability to function and maintain its integrity. Before implant therapy became available, the physiology and healing patterns of the edentulous ridge after a tooth was extracted were often neglected or not dealt with properly. These situations demand augmentation of the residual ridge to achieve successful implant placement and long-term survival. Although alveolar bone loss can be congenital, the result of trauma, pathology, and chronic/acute infection. In fact, after a tooth is extracted, approximately 25% of the bone volume has been reported to be lost after the first year. Over time, this deterioration may progress and is often reported to be responsible for a 40-60% loss of alveolar volume during the first 3 years after a tooth is lost. The placement of bone grafting materials to favor healing in osseous defects or to augment atrophic edentulous ridges to allow dental implant installation has been evaluated in a number of experimental and clinical studies, and has become a gold standard treatment in implant dentistry.

Classification systems, help the logical and systematic separation and organization of knowledge about the disease so that one may reason from the signs and symptoms seen in the patient to a presumed etiologic history. From the presumed etiologic history to identification of the condition and from there to the prescribed course of treatment. The names of a disease are a convenient way of stating briefly the endpoint of a diagnostic process that progresses from the assessment of symptoms and signs towards knowledge of causation. In order to obtain more knowledge about the causation of periodontitis and to be able to discuss cases between colleagues, the various forms of the disease have to be classified. Since periodontitis must be regarded as a syndrome with a complex etiology, classifications of periodontitis should be based on the nominalistic concept.

Rehabilitation, attainment and maintenance of a well functioning masticatory apparatus in an adult would require close involvement of all the dental specialities as they are very intimately and intricately related. An interdisciplinary approach that integrates the knowledge, skill and experience of the dental specialists is very essential for drawing a comprehensive treatment plan. The need for comprehensive treatment plan is far more greater, now with the increase in life expectancy, better health awareness and higher social standards. Interdisciplinary Periodontics shows this integration which all go hand in hand for the best possible results for the patients.