What are the risks associated with gingivitis?
The most serious risk of gum inflammation (gingivitis) is the possibility of the inflammatory processes spreading to other structures of the periodontium. In the course of this, damage to the jawbone and bone recession may occur. In the worst case, this can result in the loss of teeth that are actually perfectly healthy.
The subsequent restoration of the tooth gaps with an implant is extremely difficult due to the lack of bone anchor. For this reason, most of the restoration has to be done with a bridge, which in turn creates new, difficult to clean dirt pockets. In addition, the spread of the inflammatory processes into the area of the jawbone can have damaging effects on dental health. Not infrequently, an inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) develops into a painful inflammation of the tooth root through the extension of the inflammation to the jawbone.
Anatomy of the gums
As part of the oral mucosa (lat. Gingiva), the gum covers the jawbone and the lower parts of the tooth substance attached to it. The gums (gingiva) are counted as part of the mucous membrane of the periodontium.
At the upper edge (in the lower jaw at the lower edge; apical) the gingiva continues into the loose oral mucosa. On closer inspection, a garland-shaped border structure, the so-called Linea garlandiformis, can be seen between the gums and oral mucosa. In general, a distinction is made between two different gingival parts, the free and the fixed gingiva.
The free gum is located between the individual teeth at the lower edge of the interdental space. Directly below it is the gingiva (“attached gingiva”), which is firmly connected to the bone and tooth cement by connective tissue fibre strings.
