Affiliation:
1. Specialist Periodontist, Rose Lane Dental Practice, Liverpool
Abstract
It is all too easy to think that nothing has changed in periodontology in the past 50 years. Self-performed plaque control, avoidance of the known risk factors and professional removal of deposits above and below the gum line have been the mainstay of periodontal management for decades. However, our understanding of what we actually need to do to the root surface to facilitate periodontal healing has changed dramatically in the past 50 years and advances in surgical technique and regenerative materials have made treatment more conservative, allowing us to predictably treat periodontitis. CPD/Clinical Relevance: The changes in periodontal management during the 50 years that Dental Update has been in circulation are highlighted.