History
Investigation into the causes and characteristics of periodontal diseases began in the 18th century with pure clinical observation, and this remained the primary form of investigation well into the 19th century. During this time, the signs and symptoms of periodontal diseases were firmly established:
- Rather than a single disease entity, periodontal disease is a combination of multiple disease processes that share a common clinical manifestation.
- The etiology (cause) includes both local and systemic factors.
- The disease consists of a chronic inflammation associated with loss of alveolar bone.
- Advanced disease features include pus and exudates.
- Essential aspects of successful treatment of periodontal disease include initial debridement and maintenance of proper oral hygiene.
The advent of microscopy allowed later studies performed at the turn of the 19th century to report the histological structures and features of periodontal lesions, but most were limited to advanced stages of the disease. Progress in microscopy in the 1960s, such as advances in histopathology and stereology, allowed researchers to focus on earlier stages of inflammatory processes while the innovation of experimentally-induced periodontal disease in both human and animal models allowed for more detailed research into the temporal progression of the pathogenesis of plaque-induced periodontal disease.
Historically, chronic plaque-induced periodontal diseases were divided into three categories:
- subclinical gingivitis
- clinical gingivitis
- periodontal breakdown
Read more about this topic: Periodontal Disease
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Regarding History as the slaughter-bench at which the happiness of peoples, the wisdom of States, and the virtue of individuals have been victimized—the question involuntarily arises—to what principle, to what final aim these enormous sacrifices have been offered.”
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)
“The principle office of history I take to be this: to prevent virtuous actions from being forgotten, and that evil words and deeds should fear an infamous reputation with posterity.”
—Tacitus (c. 55–117)
“There is nothing truer than myth: history, in its attempt to “realize” myth, distorts it, stops halfway; when history claims to have “succeeded” this is nothing but humbug and mystification. Everything we dream is “realizable.” Reality does not have to be: it is simply what it is.”
—Eugène Ionesco (b. 1912)