The temperature of the periodontal pockets.

The temperature of 104 periodontal pockets of various depths was measured before institution of any preventive or curative therapy. A tendency to a rise in pocket temperature due to increased pocket depth was noted. However, statistically no linear correlation was observed between the temperature and the depth of the periodontal pockets. The possibility of using temperature measurements as a diagnostic and prognostic aid in periodontal disease has been discussed.