Abstract

Presently accepted concepts of the etiology and pathogenesis of periodontal disease do not adequately explain the following consistent clinical observations: (1) equal local etiologic factors do not result in equal periodontal destruction in all patients; and, (2) equal therapy is not equally successful in all patients. The differences in patient response must be due to differences within the patient. By relating the broadened concept of disease, as described by Engel, to periodontal disease, the reasons for these individual patient differences become apparent. This concept consideres[sic] disease in relation to the patient's genie and developmental background, as well as the present environmental factors and the patient's way of life. The concept may be extended to define disease as a response of the patient to physiologically unacceptable conditions. Each patient has varying physiologic boundaries beyond which he is unable to adapt to single or multiple stressors, and the disease response occurs.

These concepts applied to periodontal disease result in the following conclusions:

  1. Periodontal disease resulting in pocket formation and alveolar bone loss does not occur unless the patient has exceeded his physiologic adaptability. Local aggravating conditions increase the intensity of the disease response.
  2. Correlation of observable clinical signs and symptoms with the patient's medical and dental history and his way of life gives the most accurate assessment of his parameters of disease.
  3. Time is an important dimension in evaluating the patient's periodontal condition. The perceptive clinician must differentiate between periodontal disease and periodontal destruction which may have occurred at some previous time.
  4. If the patient shows evidence of periodontal destruction but not periodontal disease, surgical elimination of the periodontal pockets may be unnecessary.
  5. Periodontal therapy should be based on the following objectives: (a) recognition of the ultimate cause of the disease response; (b) helping the patient to correct this cause; (c) assisting the response by control of the aggravating conditions.

LLU Discipline

Periodontics

Department

Periodontics

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Charles T. Smith

Second Advisor

Gerald A. Mitchell

Third Advisor

Jack D. Zwemer

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1962

Date (Title Page)

8-1962

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Periodontal Diseases

Type

Thesis

Page Count

iv; 43

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

Download

Share

COinS