Measuring and interpreting increases in probing depth and attachment loss.

Increases in probing depth and attachment level measurements are used by clinicians and clinical scientists for assessing the periodontal status and/or change in status of patients. Interpretation of these measurements has implications with respect to our understanding of periodontal disease, treatment of patients and the implementation of clinical investigations. Measurements of probing depths and attachment loss were made on 204 teeth in 34 patients. The measurements were repeated after short periods of time by different examiners as well as the same examiners. Using these data, sensitivities and specificities of several potential diagnostic thresholds were calculated. It is concluded that observing an increase of probing depth greater than 1 mm serves as a diagnostic test with high sensitivity and specificity.