MetLife MetDental Accreditation Information

The overwhelming majority of patients with periodontitis are treated in the offices of general practitioners and the most common services rendered are non-surgical in nature. This Guide addresses the subject of non-surgical therapy from the perspective of evidence-based dentistry to include a discussion of the etiology of periodontitis and the need for therapy as the basis for a rationale for treatment. The assessment of non-surgical treatment outcomes with a view to decisions regarding further treatment is a prominent feature of the Guide. The discussion of non-surgical approaches goes beyond mechanical debridement to include subgingival irrigation, systemic antibiotics and locally delivered antibiotics. Treatment planning decisions and the maintenance phase of therapy are also discussed. This edition includes updates from research published over the past three years, providing valuable guidance to the clinician providing periodontal care.

Long-term restorative success requires attentiveness to the restorative-periodontal interface. Using an evidence-based approach, this Quality Resource Guide (QRG) reviews the considerations for pre-prosthetic periodontal therapies to enhance oral health and restorative outcomes. It outlines the components and dimensions of the supracrestal tissue attachment and its importance to restorative outcomes, defines periodontal phenotype and discusses its role in maintaining periodontal and peri-implant health, gives examples of soft and hard tissue resection for pre-prosthetic site preparation in partially or fully edentulous patients, and discusses prosthetic space requirements for implant restorations in the completely edentulous patient. The QRG also discusses crown lengthening procedures and restorative site preparation for conventional removable prostheses at edentulous sites. The QRG will serve as an essential update resource for practitioners striving to maximize the success of restorative outcomes utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.

Risk assessment for periodontal disease must be part of every comprehensive dental evaluation and should include an accurate, current and comprehensive periodontal evaluation. In 2017, the World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions developed a new protocol to classify periodontal diseases. The severity of periodontitis is no longer described as slight, moderate, or severe, but is now categorized by its “stage.” This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) provides an overview of these stages and discusses the criteria assessed, and the effectiveness of the treatment plan based on the identified risks. The QRG will assist the dentist and his/her clinical team, in decision-making and answering patient questions regarding their periodontal status.