Question:
How do you tell the difference between bone destruction due to
periodontal disease and that caused by improper orthodontia?
Answer:
If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you may find the
information at this URL of some use.
http://home.att.net/~OralAllergy/
It has never been proven that periodontal disease is caused by some bacterial
infection that leads to bone loss. There are many causes of periodontal disease.
The actual cause should be identified and properly treated. This site lists some
of these causes, describes what you should do to identify the actual cause and
get the correct treatment. Correct identification of the cause of the problem
can lead to complete healing and freedom from the condition.
Oral practitioners rarely mention these other causes. The fact is that they are
not really doctors. They are not qualifed or licensed to practice any form of
general medicine. Any attempt to do so can cost them their license to practice
in their own fields. The result is that they give you the only excuse that could
possibly be within their own scope, without having to tell you they aren't
doctors. It is the only explanation that does not require a medical license and
there is no way to test for it to prove it.
You are left with the impression that you have been to the correct authority on
these matters and that your problem is accurately diagnosed and is being
properly addressed. Based on all the input that went into this web site, there
is an overwhelming feeling among all contributors that protecting their egos by
not having to admit they are not doctors is much more important to them than the
patients health. Oral practitioners are not oblivious to the other causes. They
simply don't mention them and tell you how to go about discerning the real
cause. This is seen by all the contributors to this site as very unethical.
Please feel free to pass the URL on to anyone that you know that has any
condition listed at the site.
Good question. Bone destruction due to periodontal disease usually has a
history of inflammation and some form of lifestyle activity, disease,
stress, immune suppression, etc and then xrays show a loss of bone that
often leaves the tooth with a mote of destruction and uneven bone loss in
different areas of the mouth.
Orthodontic bone loss is rare, but does occur when orthodontics is done
while the above conditions are going on, poor oral hygiene causing
inflammation, etc. The key is understanding the process of orthodontics.
When a light force is placed on a tooth, certain cell are activated that
make the bone melt on the side the pressure is going to. If in a healthy
environment, this stays controlled and stops when the pressure stops and the
same cell changes hats and becomes a bone growing cell.
That is one form of bone loss from ortho which tends to happens more readily
in adults.
The other form is stripping caused by the teeth being pushed too far out
past the bone and the pressure causes gum and bone recession usually on the
cheek side of the teeth.
Now to the heart of your question (I think). 10 years later you probably
can't ever know which one caused it.
