Combining Self-Reported Information with Radiographic Bone Loss to Screen Periodontitis: A Performance Study.

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Diagnostic Accuracy
• Public Health Screening

Background:

• Periodontitis is a prevalent oral disease requiring effective screening methods.
• Current screening may not be universally accessible or feasible.
• Evaluating combined diagnostic approaches is crucial for early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the diagnostic performance of combined self-reported periodontal data and radiographic periodontal bone loss (R-PBL) for periodontitis identification.
• To compare the efficacy of individual and combined screening indicators.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory cross-sectional study involving 150 adult participants.
• Utilized panoramic radiographs for R-PBL assessment and a validated self-reported questionnaire.
• Analyzed screening performance against the 2018 periodontitis case definition using sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and AUC.

Main Results:

• The R-PBL model showed the highest predictive performance for periodontitis (AUC: 0.833) and severe periodontitis (AUC: 0.796).
• The combined 'Either' model demonstrated comparable sensitivity to R-PBL.
• Decision curve analysis indicated superior clinical utility for 'R-PBL' and 'Either' models.

Conclusions:

• Combining self-reported information with radiographic bone loss provides adequate screening performance for periodontitis.
• This dual screening strategy is a feasible approach for identifying high-risk individuals, especially in resource-limited settings.
• The findings support the integration of these methods for improved periodontitis detection and management.