Description

The short & long term successful outcomes of orthodontic treatment are influenced by the patient's periodontal status before, during & after active orthodontic therapy. No matter how talented the orthodontist, a magnificent orthodontic correction can be destroyed by failure to recognize periodontal susceptibility. The long term prognosis of the natural dentition depends to a significant extent on optimal responses & systemic resistance & on the patient's predisposition to the different clinical forms of periodontal diseases. It is important for orthodontists to identify periodontal problems before orthodontic treatment, determine the correct treatment plan to ameliorate these problems, and sequence the orthodontic and periodontal therapy correctly to enhance the patient's periodontal health. This literature describes the responsibilities of orthodontists for diagnosing periodontal problems and discusses the interdisciplinary management of several periodontal problems requiring orthodontic intervention.