The 'high risk' group in periodontitis.

The high risk concept of periodontitis incorporates the theory that multiple tooth loss from periodontal disease affects a relatively small proportion of the population. This paper reviews and extends the evidence for such a concept by describing the occurrence and distribution of advanced bone loss in a Glasgow population of 800 dental out-patients. In common with other published studies of attachment loss or periodontal bone destruction, advanced bone loss was highly prevalent, affecting 54.1% of 50- to 73-year-olds. However, in parallel with other investigations, a small but with age increasing minority of patients accounted for most of the bone destruction. For example, in the 50- to 73-year-old age group, 28% of patients accounted for 75% of the advanced bone loss seen in that group.