[The combined diagnosis of apical periodontitis by using color x-ray teledensitometry and photoplethysmography].

Comparative evaluation of diagnostic resolution capacity of roentgenological and photoplethysmographic (PPG) investigation was performed in 201 patients with periodontitis. Acute periodontic inflammation (103 patients) was detected in 98% of the cases with PPG and in 94.1% of the cases it allowed to clarify the form of the disease. The respective values for roentgenology were 33.9% and 58.3%. In 98 patients with remitting periodontitis both techniques showed virtually equal diagnostic powers 90.8% for X-rays, and 84.5% for PPG. Color X-ray densitometry sharply increased informative value of conventional X-ray investigation. Roentgenological and functional diagnostic techniques should be combined in diagnosis of periodontal pathology.