CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PERIODONTAL SITES WITH PROBING ATTACHMENTLOSS FOLLOWING INITIAL PERIODONTAL TREATMENT

Periodontal sites which had undergone probing attachment loss were ide ntified in 16 advanced periodontitis patients subjected to initial per iodontal treatment and monitored every 3rd month for 42 months. Many s ites with probing attachment loss showed no increase in probing depth and bled on probing at a few of the examinations during maintenance. O thers showed increase in depth, frequent bleeding and suppuration. An arbitrary classification of 'questionable periodontitis' sites was use d and included sites with the following characteristics: probing depth at 42 months less than or equal to 3.5 mm + bleeding on probing at no more than 5 of the 14 examinations 3-42 months + no suppuration on pr obing 3-42 months. The % sites in this category ranged from 21-35%, de pending upon method used to determine probing attachment loss. Widely varying characteristics of sites identified with probing attachment lo ss were evident for all surface locations and all subgroups of initial probing depth. From a traditional view-point, a significant proportio n of the losing sites might not have been afflicted with periodontitis . On the other hand, deterioration does not necessarily have to be cou pled with obvious inflammation, particularly following therapy.