Figure 30.

5Ps flow chart. Five levels characterise a futuristic approach for periodontal diagnosis. The first level is represented by high-tech diagnostic tools such as LOC and CBCT. In the next future, LOC will be able to give us genetic, microbiological and host-derived information in real time. Co-factors (e.g. diabetes, osteoporosis) will be detected by the use of dedicated high-tech chairside diagnostic tools. Moreover, a detailed bone tissue morphology is revealed by low-radiation digital computed tomography which offers a digital volume composed of three-dimensional voxels that can then be manipulated with specialised software. The second level will provide useful information about the genetic susceptibility of a single patient, while the third level will give us the presence of causative bacterial factors in dental plaque. Finally, host-derived biomarkers (host response factors and factors derived from periodontal tissue breakdown) will be chairside-detected in order to early intercept periodontal destruction.