MUNOLOGIA DA PERIODONTITE CRÔNICA: UMA REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

Periodontitis is an infectious and inflammatory disease that affects the protective and support tissue of the teeth. It originates from gingival inflammation and leads to resorption of bone that surrounds the tooth roots. The evolution of this process can lead to tooth loss, depending on the level of bone loss reached. The primary etiologic factor is infection by periodontopathic bacteria as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Trepondema denticola, Campylobacter rectus, Prevotella intermedia and Eikenella corrodens. Besides these, other bacteria are also associated with periodontitis, but to a lesser degree. The microbiological factors may be aggravated by poor oral hygiene and habits harmful to health as smoking. Factors and systemic diseases such as diabetes, HIV, immune disorders, and pregnancy can also affect the periodontal condition and vice versa. The periodontopathogenic bacterias secrete products such as enzymes, endo-and exotoxins that depending on the susceptibility and host immune response will cause major or minor damage to the periodontium. To date, diagnosis of periodontitis is clinical, a fact which only allows the evaluation of previous disease. Recent studies suggest the development of techniques for the
diagnosis of active phases of periodontitis in addition to identifying the risk to their development. This paper aims to review in the dental research database (1979-2012), the immunology of chronic periodontitis tying to its microbiological profile, because it is one of the major prevalent periodontal diseases that lead to edentulism in many civilizations