Partial‐mouth periodontal examination protocol for estimating periodontitis extent and severity in a US population

Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that half-mouth four-site periodontal examination protocol performed well in estimating periodontitis prevalence. This study aimed to assess biases associated with this same protocol in estimating periodontitis extent and severity in a United States population. Periodontitis extent as determined by percentage of sites with clinical attachment loss (CAL) ≥3, and ≥5 mm and severity as determined by mean CAL were calculated for full-mouth examination and half-mouth four-site protocol based on 3734 adults sampled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2010. Probing depth was excluded because of low data reliability. The comparison between full-mouth and half-mouth assessments was based on bias, relative bias, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). For full-mouth examination, periodontitis extent was 21.2% for CAL ≥3 mm and 6.9% for CAL ≥5 mm; periodontitis severity (mean CAL) was 1.73 mm. Half-mouth four-site protocol provided bias À1.2% and relative bias À5.7% for extent (CAL ≥3 mm). Corresponding numbers were À0.3% and 4.3% for extent (CAL ≥5 mm), À0.05 mm and À2.9% for severity. Although the difference between full-mouth and half-mouth assessments was statistically significant, ICCs between them were ≥0.96 for extent (CAL ≥3, 5 mm), and severity (mean CAL). Half-mouth four-site protocol performed well in estimating periodontitis extent and severity based on CAL. Therefore, this protocol should be considered for periodontitis surveillance.

Periodontal disease prevalence, extent, and risk associations in untreated individuals

“…In older subjects (those ≥35 years), the prevalence of CDC/AAP moderate-severe and severe periodontitis was 95.4% and 49.5%, respectively, higher than the corresponding prevalence in the US adult population, which was 34.3% and 7.5%, respectively (Tran et al, 2014). Periodontitis extent in older subjects in our study at two thresholds: mean % (SD) of a CAL ≥ 3 mm and a CAL ≥ 5 mm were 56.9% (30.4) and 30.9% (25.7), respectively, which were higher than the corresponding extent of 21.2% (24.4) and 6.9% (18.3), respectively, in the US adult population using the same disease thresholds (Tran et al, 2016). However, when the periodontitis prevalence and extent of our study subjects were compared to the untreated subjects in Guatemala, the findings were comparable (Dowsett et al, 2001;.…”

Accuracy and precision of using partial-mouth recordings to study the prevalence, extent and risk associations of untreated periodontitis

“…The use of two thresholds for periodontitis diagnosis for our sample of untreated subjects resulted in prevalence rates from 31.3% to 78.4% and an extent of periodontitis from 14.4% to 34.9%. Both the prevalence and extent of periodontitis in our study subjects were high compared to other general populations ( Susin et al, 2005 , Tran et al, 2014 , Tran et al, 2016 ). However, our findings were comparable with the prevalence and extent of untreated subjects in Guatemala ( Dowsett et al, 2001 , Dowsett et al, 2002b ).…”

Long‐term impact of powered toothbrush on oral health: 11‐year cohort study

“…Periodontal and caries examinations were recorded using half‐mouth basis, which might not reflect the absolute values, although it has less bias in comparison with full‐mouth method (Tran et al., ). Furthermore, caries was recorded only on cavitation level.…”