Point-of-Care: A Novel Approach to Periodontal Diagnosis

Abstract

Being one of the prevalent oral diseases, periodontal disease is marked by the presence of gingival inflammation and periodontal tissue destruction. Recently, there is a paradigm shift in the understanding of periodontal disease; it is now believed to be episodic in nature, showing periods of activity and inactivity. Thereby, posing a challenge for clinicians to diagnose this. Conventional diagnostic methods basically measure past tissue destruction, arising the need for new diagnostic methods that should be able to detect active sites of destruction, predict future progression, and determine the response to the therapy thus, leading to early diagnosis and better cure for the patient. One such advance is the development of point-of-care devices, which are rapid chair-side testing methods. These devices are already in use in healthcare services, a common example being home-used pregnancy test strips. This point-of-care technology is now expanding its arms in periodontics as well, thus simplifying diagnosis and improving the therapeutic outcomes of the patient. In light of the above facts, this chapter throws light on periodontal diagnosis and various commercially available point-of-care devices.