riggs' disease
Noun A chronic inflammatory disease affecting the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth, specifically the periodontium. It is characterized by the progressive destruction of the alveolar bone and periodontal ligament, often leading to tooth loosening and loss. Historically, this term was a common name for what is now more precisely called chronic periodontitis.
The term is used to describe a specific, advanced stage of gum disease. * The patient was diagnosed with Riggs' disease, requiring extensive periodontal treatment. * In the early 20th century, Riggs' disease was a frequent diagnosis for severe gum infections.
- The term is now considered somewhat archaic in clinical dentistry, having been largely replaced by the more precise modern classification of chronic periodontitis. It is primarily encountered in historical medical texts.
- Periodontitis (n): The modern, broader medical term for inflammation and infection of the periodontal tissues, which includes the condition historically called Riggs' disease.
- Pyorrhea alveolaris (n): An older, synonymous term for advanced periodontitis, emphasizing the purulent (pus) discharge.
- Chronic periodontitis
- Pyorrhea alveolaris (archaic)
This term refers specifically to a chronic, destructive form of periodontal disease. It is not used for mild, reversible gum inflammation (gingivitis). The name is derived from John M. Riggs, an American dentist who described the disease in detail.
- chronic periodontitis; purulent inflammation of the teeth sockets