[Significance of immunologic mechanisms in the etiology and development of parodontopathies].

The role of the immunological mechanisms in the development of periodontal disease. THe cellular and humoral immune mechanisms and their possible role in the development of periodontal disease are reviewed. In tissues, exposed to a bacterial challenge, these mechanisms are protective as well as destructive for the host. A specific etiological relationship between periodontal disease and certain oral microorganisms could only be found for a few species. A series of laboratory tests can yield information concerning the immunological incompetence during the evolution of the disease. To allow for a correlation with the immunological and bacterilogical findings, a well-defined clinical classification of the different disease entities is necessary.