Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation of the gums that leads to the destruction of the periodontium, the structure that supports the tooth. It is caused by a bacterial infection and aggravated by other factors (smoking, inherited predisposition and so on).
Recent epidemiological studies have shown that this problem affects around 30–40% of the adult population in industrialised countries and that, as well as causing tooth loss, it contributes to serious disorders of the cardiovascular system and to severe chronic diseases such as diabetes.
Periodontitis is therefore the leading cause of tooth loss in adults and, generally speaking, dental implants are today the main solution to this problem.
However, an interesting study commissioned by SIdP (the Italian Society of Periodontology and Implantology) revealed that in at least 50% of patients who receive implants, no treatment had been attempted to try to save their natural teeth.
The number of implants placed rose significantly in 2015–2017 compared with 2010–2014, confirming the tendency of contemporary dentistry to rely more and more on this type of solution without treating the gum problem.
The same survey revealed that 11% of patients who undergo implant-prosthetic treatment report long-term complications, mainly biological or biomechanical, which make it necessary to remove the implant in 46% of cases.
The picture that emerges from this study is one of dentistry that is excessively focused on implantology, with all the risks this trend brings, not least possible legal disputes with patients who are dissatisfied with the work carried out.
It is essential to improve the training of general dentists, so that implants are used to rehabilitate partially edentulous patients only after any periodontitis has been treated. The survey showed that lower levels of medical training correspond to a higher frequency of tooth extractions.
Source: Francesco Cairo, Tooth Loss and dental Implant outcomes: Where is dentistry going? A Survey by SIdP, the Italian Society of Periodontology and Implantology
