Seven-year follow-up of 10 children with periodontitis.

The present manuscript reports a 7-year follow-up of a kindred in which 10 children (siblings and cousins) had moderate to severe periodontal diseases in primary (9 children) and permanent teeth (1 child). No systemic condition was related to the periodontal diseases. The number of affected teeth per child varied from 1 to 12. Treatments involved local therapy and systemic antibiotics. Treatment of periodontitis in primary teeth led to alveolar bone regeneration and periodontally healthy permanent teeth. Recurrence was suspected only in 1 case. The different aspects related to prevention, diagnosis, and treatments of families with periodontal diseases are discussed. From this manuscript, it is concluded that (1) susceptible families develop a high prevalence of periodontitis; (2) these families should be carefully monitored to provide early treatment to new cases; and (3) treatment of children with periodontitis in the primary dentition may be successful, with no periodontitis developing in the permanent dentition in adolescence.