Periodontal Disease Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Periodontal Disease

A periodontal disease diagnosis may be determined by one of our friendly dentists or hygienists during a standard periodontal examination. A periodontal exam is a critical aspect to your regular dental visits and helps to reveal oral health issues that need to be addressed.

During the process of a periodontal disease diagnosis, a periodontal probe is an instrument that is used in order to measure the small space (sulcus) between the tooth and gums. The probe helps indicate if pockets are deeper than normal. In cases when periodontal disease has severely progressed, the spaces or pockets typically are deeper. This helps our professionals confirm the presence of periodontal disease.

A Peoria dentist or hygienist at our office will consider the depth of these pockets, the amount of gum bleeding present, as well as any inflammation or abnormal tooth mobility to make a proper periodontal disease diagnosis that will usually be grouped into one of the following categories:


The first stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis. Build up of plaque and its by-products adversely affect the gums, making them inflamed, tender, and prone to bleeding.


Non-removed plaque eventually hardens into calculus or also known as tartar. As calculus continues to build up, the gums may start to recede from the teeth. This results in deeper pockets between the gums and teeth, which can accumulate bacteria and pus. As a result, the gums become sensitive, inflamed, and prone to bleeding.

Advanced Periodontitis

As the gums, bone, and periodontal ligament continue to decay, the support of the teeth is weakened. The affected teeth will then become overly loose, and in many severe cases, the affected teeth may be lost.