Genetic and inheritance considerations in periodontal disease.

Considerable evidence suggests that there is some genetic basis for the early onset forms of disease. The molecular abnormality and its genetic inheritance has been established in some cases of generalized prepubertal periodontitis. Family studies of juvenile periodontitis indicate that this disorder is transmitted by autosomal recessive genes, although additional data indicate genetic heterogeneity in this clinically defined disease. Recent evidence also suggests that susceptibility to periodontal disease may be related in part to genetically determined immune responsiveness to bacterial lipopolysaccharides. Although specific genetic risk factors have not been identified for the more common adult chronic periodontitis, recent studies indicate that there is significant genetic variance in the population for clinical and radiographic measures of disease. More precise definitions of disease phenotypes will facilitate future genetic epidemiologic studies of the periodontal diseases.