A patient presents with a 2 mm pocket depth on tooth #25 and visible gingival recession on that tooth only. Bleeding on probing is absent. What is the most appropriate periodontal diagnosis?

Correct answer: D. Localized periodontitis with recession of #25

• A. Generalized periodontitis would require widespread CAL beyond this single tooth.
• B. Gingivitis requires inflammation (bleeding on probing) and no attachment loss. Since recession IS attachment loss and bleeding is absent, this label does not apply.
• C. Generalized implies >30% of sites are involved. Only one tooth is affected here.
• D. CORRECT. Recession with clinical attachment loss (CAL) at a single site in the absence of widespread disease qualifies as localized periodontitis. Recession represents CAL even when probing depths are shallow, and 'localized' means fewer than 30% of sites are affected.