Diagnosing periodontal diseases.

At present, the diagnosis of periodontal disease requires a clinical evaluation of the patient including visual findings, the use of the periodontal probe, and radiographs. No test is available to evaluate disease activity. In specific cases, adjunctive procedures may also be useful. The identification of pathogenic microorganisms may aid in evaluating the periodontal status of special patients. However, these are not required for an adequate diagnosis of the common adult form of chronic periodontitis.

An overview of periodontal surgical procedures.

It is obvious from the foregoing that there are many technical approaches to periodontal surgery. The mere presence of a periodontal pocket of a cerain depth as the major indicator for surgery is not as steadfast as once believed. Other criteria such as hemorrhage and exudate must also be used in evaluating the need for surgery. The decision on which approach to use remains with the therapist and the individual situation which he/she is faced. However, in the past decade it has become increasingly clear that the need for so-called more advanced surgical procedures is not as important to the control of periodontal diseases as was once thought. Regardless, it is also clear that some form of surgical intervention, as defined by this paper, is still necessary to interrupt the sequence of events that make up the pathogenesis of periodontal disease that leads to eventual tooth loss. This paper has reviewed and evaluated some of the current procedures available to the therapist in the surgical approach to therapy.

Practice styles and opportunities in periodontics.

A survey of the 3,048 Active and Affiliate members of the American Academy of Periodontology was conducted by the Task Force on Manpower of the Academy to elicit information concerning practice styles and perceived opportunities for practice. Responses from 1,580 periodontists are presented in tables which include data on general demographics of periodontists, expected age at which partial and full retirement will take place, forms of practice, weeks per year and hours per week spent in practice, number of patient visits per year, number of practice locations, years in present community, population of present community, average distance traveled by patients in the periodontal practice, numbers of dentists referring to the practice, weeks waiting time to examine new patients and to begin new treatment series, patient load, preferences regarding weeks of advance booking, perceptions regarding the supply of periodontal services in the respondent's local area as well as in other areas known to the respondent, and factors which influence selection of a practice location. Data presented were collected between November of 1978 and April, 1979.