A REVIEW ON MODELS OF PATHOGENESIS IN PERIODONTITIS.

Periodontitis is a complex disease in which disease expression involves intricate interactions of the biofilm with the host immune-inflammatory response and subsequent alterations in bone and connective tissue homeostasis. The past decade of basic research in periodontology has driven radical changes in our understanding and perceptions of the pathogenic processes that drive periodontal tissue destruction. The core elements of the classical model of disease pathogenesis (1997) remain pertinent today; however, our understanding of the dynamic interactions between the various microbial and host factors has changed significantly. This review article tries to draw these complex new learnings into a contemporary model of disease pathogenesis and attempts to highlight selected key steps in the evolution of our concepts of periodontal pathogenesis and to define how future models are likely to evolve based on the new technologies.