Which statement about periodontal staging under the 2018 AAP guidelines is correct?

Which statement about periodontal staging under the 2018 AAP guidelines is correct?

• A. Bleeding on probing, plaque, calculus
• B. Diet and fluoride exposure
• C. Probing depth, bone loss, mobility, and furcation involvement
• D. Patient age

Answer: (C)

Periodontal staging in the 2018 guidelines is about categorizing how severe and complex the disease is, using measurements that reflect actual structural damage and how the tooth is functioning, not just signs of inflammation or risk factors. The key factors are the depth of pockets (probing depth), how much bone loss there is (radiographic bone loss or the equivalent attachment loss), whether the tooth shows mobility, and whether there is furcation involvement. These elements together indicate how advanced the disease is and how difficult it will be to treat. The option that includes probing depth, bone loss, mobility, and furcation involvement matches these criteria and best describes the information used to stage periodontitis. Bleeding on probing, plaque and calculus speak to inflammation and biofilm presence, which influence activity and risk but aren’t the staging criteria. Diet, fluoride exposure, and patient age aren’t used to determine stage.

Periodontal staging in the 2018 guidelines is about categorizing how severe and complex the disease is, using measurements that reflect actual structural damage and how the tooth is functioning, not just signs of inflammation or risk factors. The key factors are the depth of pockets (probing depth), how much bone loss there is (radiographic bone loss or the equivalent attachment loss), whether the tooth shows mobility, and whether there is furcation involvement. These elements together indicate how advanced the disease is and how difficult it will be to treat. The option that includes probing depth, bone loss, mobility, and furcation involvement matches these criteria and best describes the information used to stage periodontitis. Bleeding on probing, plaque and calculus speak to inflammation and biofilm presence, which influence activity and risk but aren’t the staging criteria. Diet, fluoride exposure, and patient age aren’t used to determine stage.