[Biological markers in periodontal disease]

Periodontal diseases are thought to occur in an episodic manner with periods of breakdown and remission. This phenomenon can differ from one site to another. Clinical indices are unable to provide useful information about disease activity, but certain biologic markers may reflect periods of breakdown of connective tissue component of the periodontium. Procaryotic markers were excluded because they are difficult to identify and the results were uncertain. Tissue breakdown factors within the gingival sulcus were examined. Some of these factors could be correlated with the active stages of disease. These include: mediators of inflammation, catabolic enzymes, and enzymes associated with tissue necrosis. Among the eucaryotic tissue components, one or several could be of use to the dentist to assay disease activity. These tests could conceivably be done without complex and expensive equipment and could offer a new diagnosis index, "the active site index."