A specialty of dentistry is periodontology, the treatment of periodontal or gum diseases.
One of the most common gum diseases is periodontitis, the inflammation of the tissue supporting your teeth, the so-called periodontium. Caused by an accumulation of bacteria adhering to the edge of your gum, it leads to bacterial plaque or disorders of the immune system. Loss of teeth as an adult is often rooted in periodontitis. It oftentimes starts without any symptoms and, thus, is not detected at an early stage.