Periodontitis as a Manifestation of Chronic Benign Neutropenia

Abstract

This case represents the importance of diagnosing periodontal disease as a possible indicator of underlying systemic disease. When a patient presents with an unusual, generalized form of periodontal disease, screening for systemic disorders is required, as the oral condition may be the first or only manifestation of a systemic abnormality. This case also illustrates the reason for the change in classification of such a condition to periodontitis as a manifestation of systemic disease. This condition was previously classified as prepubertal periodontitis, a disease diagnosis that focused on the patient's age at the onset of the disease rather than the etiology.