Biomarkers in Periodontal Health and Disease

Book excerpt: This book examines all aspects of the progress being made towards the development of highly specific and sensitive biomarkers that will overcome the shortcomings of clinical assessments in periodontics. The opening chapters present the basic anatomic features of periodontal tissues, outline the nature and pathogenic mechanisms of periodontal diseases, and discuss both conventional and novel methods of diagnosis with reference to their specificity and sensitivity. The potential role of biomarkers in periodontal diagnosis is then presented in the light of the published data. The biological samples in which potential biomarkers are sought are evaluated comparatively, drawing attention to their strengths and weaknesses, and the available technologies for biomarker studies are reviewed. The potential benefits of biomarkers are also discussed with regard to the possible bidirectional interactions between periodontal diseases and systemic health. Finally, the past, present, and future of periodontics are examined from a broader perspective. Readers will find the book to be an ideal summary of the state of the art in the field as biomarkers emerge that promise to facilitate periodontal diagnostics and permit timely, personally tailored interventions.