Assessment of biological individuality in periodontitis patients using a specific algorithm and the Salus method

Periodontitis is a multifactorial inflammatory disease associated with the accumulation of dysbiotic biofilm, primarily affecting adults and potentially leading to the progressive destruction of periodontal tissues. The Salus method is a validated computerized dermatoglyphic system for fingerprint acquisition and analysis. It uses a dedicated software platform and specific algorithms for pattern recognition and ridge count assessment. This study aimed to investigate whether individuals with a clinical diagnosis of periodontitis exhibit specific dermatoglyphic patterns identifiable through this algorithm. A total of 157 participants were evaluated, with a mean age of 53.7 years, including 62 individuals diagnosed with periodontitis (Stages III and IV) and 95 periodontally healthy individuals (control group). Periodontal status was assessed through clinical probing, and fingerprint data were collected via digital scanning using the Salus method. Fingerprint images were processed using the Salus software, which performed noise reduction, pattern recognition, Galton line tracing, and ridge count calculations. Statistical analysis included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's exact test, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups in either qualitative or quantitative dermatoglyphic variables. The distribution of fingerprint types (whorls, S-shaped whorls, ulnar loops, radial loops, arches), as well as ridge and delta counts, was comparable across both groups. In this clinical sample, validated computerized dermatoglyphic analysis did not detect statistically significant differences between individuals with and without periodontitis. These findings suggest that dermatoglyphic variables, when assessed in isolation, may have limited value as a screening markers for periodontitis.