[Periodontitis in children].

In children with a healthy periodontal condition the pocket depth may vary between 1 to 2 mm. In the mixed dentition it may increase up to 3 mm and in the permanent dentition the pocket depth usually decreases again to between 1 and 2 mm. If a pocket of 5 mm or more is diagnosed one should be aware of periodontal breakdown, i.e. periodontitis. Periodontitis is usually defined on the basis of age, localisation and the presence of systemic diseases. Frequent periodontal probing is necessary to detect periodontal breakdown in an early stage and enables subsequent periodontal treatment. Involvement of the parents in the treatment is important. Their major contribution in the treatment is daily careful cleaning of the dentition of the child.