title: The periodontally-involved root surface.
abstract: Recent years have seen much research on the periodontally-involved root surface. Many of these studies have produced results which suggest that plaque contaminants of the root surface are only superficially placed, and capable of being removed by gentle means. Further research has attested to the difficulties in rendering periodontally-involved root surfaces free of calculus deposits by instrumentation, yet clinical studies show that periodontal disease can be managed by root planing. It is concluded that root surface debridement is best assessed on the basis of the healing response and that it should aim to disrupt plaque on and remove plaque from the periodontally-involved root surface rather than to remove part of the root surface itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital.
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Corbet
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kieser
mesh_terms: D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016745:Root Planing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013357:Subgingival Curettage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000473:pathology