What is the first phase that must be addressed before any other phase of periodontal therapy?

The first phase that must be addressed before any other phase of periodontal therapy is the emergency or preliminary phase. This phase is critical as it focuses on managing any urgent conditions that could compromise the patient's overall health or the success of subsequent treatments.

In this phase, the aim is to alleviate pain, address infections, and manage other immediate concerns such as the extraction of hopeless teeth or control of acute periodontal issues. By prioritizing these emergency situations, practitioners ensure that the patient is stable enough to proceed with more comprehensive periodontal treatment, such as scaling and root planing or surgical interventions. This foundational step helps create an optimal environment for healing and sets the stage for moving onto further phases of treatment, which can involve more complex procedures.

Addressing these emergency needs ensures that any underlying issues are resolved, thus improving patient comfort and compliance, and significantly enhancing the effectiveness of subsequent therapy phases.