Periodontal pathology is a science or a study of periodontal diseases. Periodontal diseases can affect one or more of the
periodontal tissues/structures (e.g.
alveolar bone,
periodontal ligament,
cementum and
gingiva). While there are many different periodontal diseases that can affect these tooth-supporting tissues/structures, by far the most common ones are
plaque-induced inflammatory conditions, such as
gingivitis and
periodontitis. Often the term
periodontal disease or
gum disease is used as a synonym for periodontitis, specifically
chronic periodontitis. Periodontal disease ranges from the mildest stage, known as gingivitis, to severe stage, known, as periodontitis.