The Chairside Periodontal Diagnostic Aids

Periodontitis is a dental plaque induced chronic inflammatory disease invading periodontal tissues, caused by microbial dysbiosis and the host immune response. It is distinguished by the loss of alveolar bone and if remain untreated can lead to tooth loss, which in turns hinders the oral function and can negatively impact the overall quality of life. Therefore for the efficient prevention and management of the tooth it is necessary for the clinician to diagnose these diseases early and accurately. Currently, the diagnosis and grading of periodontal diseases are based on complete oral clinical and radiographic examination of the periodontium. Recent studies focused on the subgingival microbiome, inflammatory mediators and the host-response modifiers as the potential biomarkers present in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva, suggesting the potential for non-invasive chair side diagnostic aids in order to assist the clinician in the diagnosis and even prognosis of a particular periodontal disease. Hence, this book aims to review to date available chairside diagnostic periodontal aids, their significance and their commercially available options.