PROGNOSIS
Periodontal treatment generally results in repair of periodontal tissues and not regeneration of lost tissues, in particular the bone. The aim of periodontal treatment is therefore to stabilise the remaining bone level. Teeth can survive with much less than 100% of their bony support for a very long time, if not for life. Studies evaluating periodontal treatment in private dental practice over 40 years demonstrate that most people do very well with long-term regular maintenance. There is, however, a very small group of people that do not respond well to any treatment. The reasons for this are poorly understood, however new research is constantly improving our knowledge. Average tooth loss figures describe a rate of one tooth lost per person over 40 years but in actual fact most of the tooth loss relates to a very small cluster of people. Recent, yet to be published, studies demonstrate the immense importance of genetics and smoking in the long term success of periodontal therapy.
