Page 37 - My FlipBook

PYORRHCEA ALVEOLARIS 21
membrane, and the membrane itself becomes de-
stroyed as the disease progresses.
Every now and then cases occur in which the
chronic or painless state becomes acute, and if the
tooth is extracted a mass of thickened and inflamed
tissue is found at the end or side of the root.
There is every reason to believe that the disease
originates in an irritated or inflamed peridental
membrane, and that anything that irritates and
inflames this membrane may cause the disease.
There is also reason to believe that the varia-
tions, the progress, and the curability of this condi-
tion, do not so much depend on its immediate cause,
as on the constitution or state of health of the
patient, and the length of time the disease has existed.
Its cause may be local or constitutional. Anything
that will irritate the membrane sufficiently to pre-
vent its recovering its normal state will always, in
the absence of treatment, result in the loosening
and loss of the teeth. It is only a question of time.
Local irritation may take the form of tartar,
malocclusion, or the presence of any foreign body
under the gum. The effect of local irritation on
the peridental membrane, is manifest to any one
who has accidentally left a silk ligature on the
neck of a single-rooted tooth after removing the
rubber dam, and the effect of malocclusion is easily