Radiographic evaluation of early periodontal bone loss in adolescents. An overview.

A number of studies have used radiographs to establish the prevalence of periodontal bone loss in adolescents, though widely differing findings have been reported. It is likely that such disparity of results can largely be attributed to the variety of criteria used to determine the presence of disease, some of which are highly subjective. In addition, a number of factors may affect the radiographic appearance of commonly chosen reference points. If epidemiological studies are to be interpreted correctly, it is important to examine these areas and, in particular, to determine the most objective means of recording disease in this age group. From a review of the literature, it would seem that assessments based on the radiographic distance between the amelo-cemental junction and the alveolar crest are the least subjective, yet whether this should be greater than 2 mm or 3 mm before bone loss is recorded, is still debated.