Thermography and Infrared Spectroscopy in the Detection of Periodontal Inflammation In Vivo: A Systematic Review

Background/Objectives: Periodontal inflammation is a key feature of periodontal diseases, but traditional diagnostic methods are limited by invasiveness and radiation exposure. This systematic review aims to evaluate the potential of thermography and infrared spectroscopy for the in vivo detection of periodontal inflammation and to assess their reliability for clinical use. Methods: In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, an electronic search of the MEDLINE (PubMed) database was conducted to identify relevant studies published between 2000 and October 2025 that investigated these imaging modalities in periodontal inflammation diagnosis. Results: The search identified 310 records; after exclusions, 13 studies were included, comprising 7 thermography studies and 6 infrared spectroscopy studies, for a total of 712 patients. The included studies demonstrated the feasibility of thermography and infrared spectroscopy for detecting inflammatory changes in periodontal tissues in vivo. These non-invasive imaging techniques may help overcome the limitations of conventional clinical and radiographic diagnostic methods, particularly invasiveness and exposure to ionizing radiation. Conclusions: This field remains underexplored, and further studies are required to validate diagnostic performance, standardize methodologies, and determine their clinical applicability in routine periodontal practice.