The contributions of Etienne Bourdet (1722-1789) to the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease.

Abstract

Two of the most important figures in the development of the dental profession in eighteenth-century France were Pierre Fauchard and Etienne Bourdet. The title, father of modern dentistry, rightly belongs to Fauchard, for his treatise was the first comprehensive description of dental practice. He broke new ground, and in so doing he set high standards for those who would follow. Bourdet, one generation after Fauchard, was equally effective in describing the practice of dentistry in his treatise published in 1757. The fame of Fauchard continues to overshadow the merit of some of Bourdet's original contributions, especially in the area of periodontal disease. Examination of Fauchard's and Bourdet's concepts of gingival and periodontal pathology, and their methods of managing the disease, reveals many similarities as well as significant differences. Bourdet linked gingival inflammation to local alveolar bone loss with much intuition. In his writings we see the origin of the notions of the gingival pocket, and of an ulcerated pocket epithelium. Furthermore, his treatment rationale was based on a clearly defined concept of the local pathology formed from personal observation.