How to Differentiate Periodontitis from Apical Periodontitis
Disease description:
Are periodontitis and apical periodontitis the same condition? Both are dental diseases—how can one distinguish between periodontitis and apical periodontitis?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Liwen
Periodontitis and periapical periodontitis can be distinguished based on etiology, treatment approaches, and other factors. Periodontitis is caused by gingival redness and swelling, gingival bleeding, tooth mobility, alveolar bone resorption, and gingival recession. Treatment of periodontal disease includes professional teeth cleaning (scaling), subgingival scaling, and root planing. Periapical periodontitis results from alveolar bone resorption around the tooth apex, primarily due to pulp infection—often secondary to dental caries, trauma, or other causes—and requires root canal treatment.
