AGD Periodontics and Gum Health 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which systemic condition is MOST strongly associated with necrotizing periodontal disease in a young adult?
- Type 2 diabetes
- HIV/AIDS (Correct answer)
- Osteoporosis
- Hypothyroidism
Correct answer: HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS causes profound immunosuppression that predisposes patients to necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and periodontitis.
Question 2: The biologic width consists of which two components?
- Epithelial attachment and sulcular epithelium
- Junctional epithelium and connective tissue attachment (Correct answer)
- Alveolar crest and periodontal ligament
- Free gingival margin and attached gingiva
Correct answer: Junctional epithelium and connective tissue attachment
Biologic width (~2 mm) comprises the junctional epithelium (~1 mm) and supracrestal connective tissue attachment (~1 mm) above the alveolar crest.
Question 3: A furcation involvement where a probe penetrates into the furcation but does not pass through to the other side is classified as:
- Class I
- Class II (Correct answer)
- Class III
- Class IV
Correct answer: Class II
Hamp's Class II furcation involvement means the horizontal loss of attachment exceeds 3 mm but does not pass through the furcation.
Question 4: Which antibiotic regimen is most appropriate as an adjunct to scaling and root planing for aggressive periodontitis caused by Aa?
- Doxycycline 100 mg daily for 21 days
- Amoxicillin 500 mg + Metronidazole 250 mg TID for 7 days (Correct answer)
- Clindamycin 300 mg TID for 10 days
- Azithromycin 500 mg once daily for 3 days
Correct answer: Amoxicillin 500 mg + Metronidazole 250 mg TID for 7 days
The amoxicillin-metronidazole combination targets Aa effectively and is the evidence-based adjunct for aggressive periodontitis.
Question 5: During periodontal flap surgery, the term 'osseous recontouring' refers to:
- Placement of bone graft material
- Reshaping alveolar bone to eliminate osseous defects and craters (Correct answer)
- Removal of granulation tissue from bony defects
- Placement of a membrane barrier
Correct answer: Reshaping alveolar bone to eliminate osseous defects and craters
Osseous recontouring (osteoplasty/ostectomy) reshapes the alveolar bone to create positive architecture and eliminate infrabony defects.
Question 6: Which local drug delivery agent releases chlorhexidine and is placed directly into periodontal pockets as an adjunct therapy?
- Arestin (minocycline microspheres)
- PerioChip (chlorhexidine gluconate chip) (Correct answer)
- Atridox (doxycycline hyclate gel)
- Elyzol (metronidazole gel)
Correct answer: PerioChip (chlorhexidine gluconate chip)
PerioChip is a biodegradable chip containing 2.5 mg chlorhexidine gluconate placed into pockets ≥5 mm as adjunctive therapy.
Question 7: The 'red complex' bacteria in periodontal disease includes Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and which third organism?
- Prevotella intermedia
- Tannerella forsythia (Correct answer)
- Fusobacterium nucleatum
- Campylobacter rectus
Correct answer: Tannerella forsythia
Socransky's red complex consists of P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and Tannerella forsythia, strongly associated with severe periodontitis.
AGD Periodontics and Gum Health 3
Which systemic condition is MOST strongly associated with necrotizing periodontal disease in a young adult?