THE PERIODONTALLY-INVOLVED ROOT SURFACE

Recent years have seen much research on the periodontally-involved roo t surface. Many of these studies have produced results which suggest t hat plaque contaminants of the root surface are only superficially pla ced, and capable of being removed by gentle means. Further research ha s attested to the difficulties in rendering periodontally-involved roo t 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 rat her than to remove part of the root surface itself.