RESUMO
The management of chronic periodontal disease is beset with a numbers of diagnostic as well as therapeutic problems. Assessment of periodontal disease progression has been made mainly based on the conventional methods such as clinical parameters and radiographic interpretation. A high level interest in the development of diagnostic tests capable of detecting factors associated with progressing periodontal disease has continued in the past years. Recent research has shown evidence that certain microbial species and specific genetic and related factors are some strong indicators of susceptibility to severe periodontitis. Here an attempt is made to review the current trends and diagnostic tests used to assess the disease activity and predict its progression.