- Periodontics
- Periodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth. Periodontists are also expert in the placement and maintenance of dental implants. The word "periodontal" literally means "around the tooth." Periodontal diseases are bacterial infections that destroy the attachment fibers and supporting bone that hold the teeth in the mouth. Left untreated, these diseases can lead to tooth loss. The main cause of periodontal disease is a bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on teeth. Periodontics is one of the 8 dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.
* * *The branch of dentistry concerned with the study of the normal tissues and the treatment of abnormal conditions of the tissues immediately about the teeth. SYN: periodontia (2). [peri- + G. odous, tooth]
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peri·odon·tics -'dänt-iks n pl but sing or pl in constr a branch of dentistry that deals with diseases of the supporting and investing structures of the teeth including the gums, cementum, periodontal membranes, and alveolar bone called also periodontia, periodontology* * *
peri·odon·tics (per″e-o-donґtiks) [peri- + odont- + -ic] the branch of dentistry dealing with the study and treatment of diseases of the periodontium.
Medical dictionary. 2011.