Current status of periodontal risk assessment.

Chronic periodontitis is a destructive chronic inflammatory disease of bacterial etiology. Mounting evidence confirms that not all patients are susceptible to inflammatory periodontal disease, and further, that the extent and severity of its clinical manifestation varies as a function of individual risk. Risk assessment models are needed to target treatment effectively. Contemporary risk assessment, as applied to periodontal disease, represents an innovative approach to managing periodontitis. The central intent of this paper is to review the current view of risk assessment as it relates to the diagnosis and management of chronic periodontitis, as well as to consider a number of such applications that can be incorporated into daily practice.