TNF and periodontal disorder: Most of the studies focused on biomarkers, which hold a potential diagnostic significance relevant to three important biological phases of periodontal disease, i.e., well-known markers C-reactive protein, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α involved in inflammatory phase; matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-8 and MMP-9) in connective-tissue degradation phase and alkaline phosphatase, receptor activator of NF-κB ligand, and osteoprotegerin in bone-turnover phase (for review, see Miller et al., 2010).