Periodontal Disease

This is Pearl and she is a healthy tooth. Pearl is radiant and prides herself on being the most beautiful tooth. She has a strong enamel, beautiful dentin, and a healthy dental pulp with blood vessels and nerves supplying nutrients and neurological signals. The gums around Pearl support and protect her sensitive dental roots, keeping her periodontal ligament in her gomphosis joint healthy so she can stay attached to the mandible.

Periodontal disease has struck! The gums are inflamed and receding away from Pearl exposing her sensitive dental roots. Plaque from bacteria is breaking down the dentin around her roots. Pearl is in pain and sensitive that her appearance isn’t as beautiful as before. Dental caries are already forming and Pearl worries that she will fracture. As periodontal disease progresses, it will lead to dental decay and damage to the periodontal ligament in her gomphosis joint. When this happens, Pearl will have to worry about losing her home.