Twenty-five years ago, the Department of Periodontology decided that the focus of its research would center on the longitudinal clinical and laboratory assessment of the periodontal patient. Thus, the Department consists of both clinical and laboratory personnel. Microbiologists, pharmacologists and research assistants analyze the samples taken from these subjects. In this way, research performed in this Department bridges the gap between basic science and clinical application. The overall goal of the Department is to determine the causes of periodontal diseases and to determine the best methods for their control.
Periodontal diseases are among the most common infectious diseases affecting mankind.
These bacteria also may affect other parts of the body increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and low birth weight babies. Past studies performed in this Department have helped to define the etiologic agents of periodontal diseases, the inter-relationships among plaque bacteria, the natural history and progression of periodontal diseases as well as the development of novel methods of treatment including local drug delivery systems. More recent studies have indicated that specific species in the subgingival plaque exist in complexes or communities and have defined the relationship of these communities to local tissue status, host genetic and environmental factors such as cigarette smoking. The Department has initiated a series of studies to determine the effect of different therapeutic approaches on the composition of the bacteria in dental plaque. These include scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery, toothbrushing, repeated professional removal of supragingival plaque and the use of systemic antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin and metronidazole.