Correlation Of Subgingival Temperature With Increasing Pocket Depth In Mandibular Arch Of Chronic Periodontitis Patients

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease, manifesting itself as changes in gingival colour, contour, consistency, bleeding on probing, probing depth, attachment loss, as well as increase in subgingival temperature. In order to detect periodontal disease activity, subgingival temperature measurements can be used as a diagnostic parameter for it also lends itself to direct physical measurement. The purpose of the present study is to compare the correlation of subgingival temperature with increasing pocket depth and to study the effect of scaling and root planing on subgingival temperature in chronic periodontitis patients. 30 male subjects suffering from chronic periodontitis in age group of 30–50 years were selected for this study. At baseline examination, pocket depth and subgingival temperature were recorded. After 21 days of scaling and root planing, these parameters were reassessed and a decrease in both subgingival temperature and pocket depth parameters was found when compared with baseline.