Periodontal risk score: Initiation and model validation for 6,762 teeth

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Dental Prognosis
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• Tooth-level prognostic systems are crucial for planning treatment and assessing risk in periodontally involved teeth.
• The Miller-McEntire index previously outperformed other systems but had limitations.
• This study developed and evaluated a modified system, the Periodontal Risk Score (PRS), to address these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the prognostic performance of the Periodontal Risk Score (PRS).
• To create a more effective tool for predicting tooth loss due to periodontitis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective data analysis from patients receiving periodontal treatment at a university setting.
• Utilized univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models.
• Analyzed prognostic capability for predicting tooth loss due to periodontitis (TLP).

Main Results:

• The PRS successfully stratified TLP risk at baseline across different tooth types.
• The index demonstrated excellent predictive capacity for TLP after controlling for maintenance, age, and sex (Harrell C-index of 0.947).
• A total of 6762 teeth from 281 patients were followed for a mean of 22.6 years.

Conclusions:

• The Periodontal Risk Score (PRS) shows excellent predictive capability for both anterior and posterior tooth loss due to periodontitis.
• The PRS accurately predicts long-term tooth loss in a population treated by dental students and residents.
• The study recommends using the PRS or similar systems for establishing tooth prognosis.