Appraisal of the new classification for periodontal diseases

The development and evolution of classification systems for periodontal diseases have been largely influenced by paradigms that reflects understanding of the nature of periodontal diseases during a given historical period. Based upon definition from the World Health Organization (WHO), periodontal health should be defined as a state free from inflammatory periodontal disease that allows an individual to function normally and avoid consequences (mental or physical) due to current or past disease. Reseachers have provided a foundation to study the etiology, susceptibility traits, pathogenesis, and treatment of diseases in an organized manner by evolving clinicians a way to organize the health care needs of their patients. The workshop was co‐sponsored by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and included expert participants from all over the world. Planning for the conference, which was held in Chicago on November 9 to 11, 2017, began in early 2015 summarizing the proceedings of the World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri‐implant Diseases and Conditions. An organizing committee from the AAP and EFP commissioned 19 review papers and four consensus reports covering relevant areas in periodontology and implant dentistry. The authors were charged with updating the 1999 classification of periodontal diseases and conditions1 and developing a similar scheme for peri‐implant diseases and conditions.