A critical review of periodontal prognosis and tooth loss

• Main Authors: Georgios A Kotsakis, Udatta Kher
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-01-01
• Series: Journal of Dental Research and Review
• Subjects: Periodontal prognosis; periodontitis; risk indicators; tooth loss
• Online Access: http://www.jdrr.org/article.asp?issn=2348-2915;year=2014;volume=1;issue=1;spage=32;epage=36;aulast=Kotsakis

During the incipient steps of periodontal treatment, clinicians are usually asked to predict the prognosis of teeth with compromised periodontium. The aim of this literature review was to investigate the association between periodontal prognosis and tooth loss. This review article is structured in three sections: The early definition of questionable prognosis, a new classification for assigning Prognosis: The McGuire and Nunn studies, and Contemporary views on periodontal prognosis. Results showed that the definition of good prognosis has much higher predictability than the one for questionable prognosis. Several risk indicators for tooth loss are discussed as well as different definitions of questionable prognosis and their success in predicting tooth loss. In conclusion, the major focus of future studies should be to construct simplified prognostic models with high predictability that will increase the confidence of dentists and periodontists when assigning teeth prognosis.