Recent advances in methods for the assessment of dental calculus - Research and clinical implications

The diagnostic evaluation of supra- and subgingival calculus has remained a n important research problem for over 40 years. The measurement of calculus remains an important objective in both research and office settings. As mi ght be expected, the most important advances in diagnostic methods for calc ulus assessment have been derived from cross-fertilization from other techn ical disciplines including engineering, optics and computer science fields. With the new methods described herein, clinicians and researchers can look forward to important advances in our understanding of the impact of suprag ingival and subgingival calculus on oral health status and periodontal dise ase progression and in the development of treatment modalities for improved calculus control, benefiting patients and clinicians alike. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.