The Accuracy of Infrared Thermographic Imaging for Assessment of Periodontal Status

A total of 45 of consecutive patients attending the periodontology outpatient clinic will be examined using standard periodontal clinical parameters including; Plaque index (PI), Gingival index (GI), Probing depth (PD), Clinical attachment level (CAL), and standardized periapical radiograph, to identify patients with gingivitis, periodontitis, or healthy periodontium , these 45 patients will be clustered into 3 clusters consisting of 15 patients each to represent each category. The same patients will be examined using an infrared thermal camera (Fluke PTi120 Pocket Thermal Imager), the settings will be all according to the standards of infrared medical diagnosis then the acquired images will be analyzed with (Fluke SmartView IR Analysis Reporting Software and Mobile Application). The images will be interpreted to detect the temperature changes in each mm in tissues in order to determine the patients with gingivitis, periodontitis, or healthy periodontium by an investigator blinded to clinical diagnosis. Then the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of thermographic images for diagnosis of periodontal diseases will be calculated

Inclusion criteria

• The patients will be enrolled into the study based on the following inclusion criteria:

• Patients with generalized gingivitis
• patient with generalized periodontitis .
• patient with healthy periodontium .
• Both genders above 18 y to 60 y .

Exclusion criteria

• The patients will not be enrolled into this study based on the following exclusion criteria:

• pregnant women .
• smokers .
• Patients on medications that cause xerostomia as diuretics , antidepressants

,bronchodilators ,antihistaminics , antiepileptic ( etc ..)

• Patient using antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive therapy during the during the study .
• molars according to camera specifications
• handicapped patients
• para functional habits as mouth breathing and tongue thrusting