From Volume 38, Issue 8, October 2011 | Pages 511-521
Aggressive periodontitis is a relatively rare periodontal condition that can result in significant attachment loss over a short period of time. As the disease is difficult to manage, owing to its rapid progression and severity, a variety of adjuncts have been advocated in its management. The authors outline concepts of the aetiology and pathogenesis of aggressive periodontitis and how the different treatment regimens relate to the current understanding of the disease process.
Aggressive periodontitis (AP) has been defined as a group of rare, often severe, rapidly progressive forms of periodontitis which are often characterized by an early age of onset and a tendency to aggregate in families. It has been characterized as having the following major features:1
Other features or characteristics of AP often include:
It is well established that AP can be further classified as localized or generalized (Table 1) (Figures 1–4). The localized form usually occurs around puberty and often affects first molars and then central incisors, although it is not always exclusive to these teeth.
Features of the generalized form include:
Although these two subdivisions may have some substance in their criteria, the differences between localized and generalized may not be so obvious. The prevalence of AP varies according to the population studied and ranges from 0.1% in Caucasians to up to 22% in Afro-Caribbeans.7,8
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