Periodontal disease is a type of disease that affects one or more of the periodontal tissues:
- alveolar bone
- periodontal ligament
- cementum
- gingiva
While many different diseases affect the tooth-supporting structures, plaque-induced inflammatory lesions make up the vast majority of periodontal diseases and have traditionally been divided into two categories:
- gingivitis or
- periodontitis.
While in some sites or individuals, gingivitis never progresses to periodontitis, data indicate that periodontitis is always preceded by gingivitis.
Read more about Periodontal Disease: Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis, History, References
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