We hear some of our providers use “Type” when referring to a patient’s periodontal health. What are these “types” of periodontal classifications?

Some clinicians prefer to assign standardized classifications to the patient's degree of periodontal health. The five recognized classifications are:

·   Case Type I: Gingivitis is present when inflammation is apparent and the gingiva is characterized by changes in color, form, position and appearance. Bleeding and/or exudate may be present.

·   Case Type II: Slight periodontitis is present when inflammation has progressed from the gingiva to deeper periodontal structures and bone, with slight bone loss. Probing depths are 3–4 mm, and there is some loss of connective tissue attachment.

·   Case Type III: Moderate periodontitis is a more advanced stage of Slight Periodontitis, with increased destruction and tooth mobility. There may be furcation involvement in multirooted teeth.

·   Case Type IV: Advanced periodontitis involves major loss of bone support and increased tooth mobility and furcation involvement.

·   Case Type V: Refractory progressive periodontitis is diagnosed when there is rapid bone and attachment loss or slow, but continuous, loss. Normal therapy is resisted, and there is gingival inflammation and continued pocket formation.