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Ann Periodontol
Periodontal Abscess
Huan Xin Meng*
A
periodontal abscess is a localized
Periapical abscess/classification; periapical abscess/etiology; purulent infection of periodontal
periodontal abscess/classification; gingival abscess. tissues and can be a common clin-
ical feature in patients with moderate or
advanced periodontitis.1-8 Although it is
more frequently seen in untreated than in
treated periodontitis patients, a recent ret-
rospective study5 indicated that it may
also occur in patients receiving mainte-
nance treatments. This review focuses on
the classification of periodontal abscesses
and discusses their etiology and clinical
characteristics.
MICROBIOLOGY
Streptococcus viridans is the most com-
mon isolate in the exudate of periodon-
tal abscesses when aerobic techniques
are used.9 It has been reported that the
microorganisms that colonize the peri-
odontal abscesses are primarily Gram-
negative anaerobic rods.10,11 Although
not found in all cases of periodontal
abscesses, high frequencies of Porphy-
romonas gingivalis, Prevotella interme-
dia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Campylo-
bacter rectus, and Capnocytophaga spp
have been reported.10,12-15 Actinobacil-
lus actinomycetemcomitans is not usually
detected.10 The disappearance of P. gin-
givalis from abscessed sites after treat-
ment suggests a close association of this
microorganism with abscess formation.12
Spirochetes have been found as the pre-
dominant cell type (mean, 40.6%
10.9%) in periodontal abscesses when
assessed by darkfield microscopy.16
Strains of Peptostreptococcus, Strepto-
coccus milleri (S. anginosus and S. inter-
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J 1984;157:311-312. mail: hxmeng@public.east.cn.net
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