title: Tooth loss due to periodontal abscess: a retrospective study.
abstract: This retrospective study focused on the frequency of tooth loss due to periodontal abscess among 42 patients who were treated by a single clinician over a 5- to 29-year period. A total of 114 patients were selected from the active periodontal recall schedule of a single periodontist at The University of Iowa College of Dentistry. The criteria for inclusion in the study included having a history of moderate to advanced periodontitis, being on 3 to 6 month recall periodontal maintenance care, and completion of active periodontal therapy prior to October 1987. Other parameters evaluated were age; gender; number of teeth present and missing at the initial, reevaluation, and last periodontal recall visit; initial periodontal prognosis; furcation involvement; non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapy; and reasons for tooth loss. Patients were grouped according to the number of teeth lost following active periodontal treatment into well-maintained (0 to 3), downhill (4 to 9), and extreme downhill (10 to 23) groups. Forty-two of the 114 patients were identified as having one or more periodontal abscesses. A total of 109 teeth were affected by periodontal abscess of which 49 (45%) teeth were lost and 60 (55%) were successfully maintained over an average of 12.5 years (5 to 29 years). More furcated teeth were lost than nonfurcated teeth and teeth given a hopeless prognosis were lost more consistently than those given a questionable prognosis in all groups. The frequency of periodontal abscess and tooth loss per patient was greater in the downhill and extreme downhill response groups than the well-maintained group. This suggests that teeth with a history of periodontal abscess can be treated and maintained for several years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Dental Medicine, Southern Illinois University, School of Dental Medicine, Alton, USA.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lainson
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Spivey
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010508:Periodontal Abscess / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control