computerized+probes

Periodontal Probing Systems  **By: Ismeta Husidic and Meenu Rathore**



(Hamilton dental group, 2008) Overall health is related to periodontal status of an individual. As we learn more about this relationship, the tools used for diagnosis should evolve as well. When new products are evaluated, clinicians must weigh the evidence and make the most appropriate decisions for their practices and above all, their patients.  **Target group:** Oral healthcare professionals **Goal:** By the end of this lesson, the learner would be able to make informed choices on probes related to the type of dental practice. **Objectives: The learner would understand** **Uses: **
 * Uses of periodontal probes
 * Different generation of probes
 * Limitations of conventional periodontal probing
 * Periodontal probe selection and the type of dental practice
 * Advantages of computerized probes
 * Cost and ordering information of Florida Probe system
 * to detect and measure periodontal pockets
 * to locate calculus
 * measure gingival recession
 * measure width of attached gingiva
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">measure size of intraoral lesions
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">locate and measure furcaton involvements
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">determine mucogingival relationships
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">bleeding tendencies

<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Generation of probes:
<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">(Compendium of continuing education in dentistry, 2011) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">(Compendium of continuing education in dentistry, 2011) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">(Compendium of continuing education in dentistry, 2011)
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">First generation probes: they are conventional probes and include William's probe, Naber's probe, etc. They do not control pressure.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Second generation probes: are pressure sensitive and allow for improved standardizaiton of probing pressures. Examples include The True Pressure Sensitive Probe, Yeaple Probe, etc.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Third generation probes: overcame the errors like reading the probe, recording data and calculating attachment level. Examples include, Foster-Miller probe, Florida Probe, etc.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Fourth generation probes: also know as three-dimensional probes. still under development.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Fifth generation probes: The earlier generation of probes had the disadvantage of penetrating the junctional epithelium. These probes do not penetrate the junctional epithelium and does not cause any pain to the clients. Besides being three- dimensional, they have an ultrasound component added to them. they are also still under development.

<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%; line-height: 25px;">**Limitations of conventional periodontal probing:**
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">As the probing force is not controlled, the tip of the probe may penetrate the base of the pocket.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">During visualization of readings, errors are possible.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">An assistant may be needed to transfer the readings.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Time consuming.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">May be uncomfortable to the client.
 * <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Discomfort to the clinician after many periodontal probings throughout the day.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Periodontal probe selection and type of practice: ** <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">For general dental practice - First and second generation probes. <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">For dental practice with interest in periodontics - First, Second generation; and Third generation if computerization is adequate. <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">For a specialty periodontal practice, university and research institutions: Second, Third and Fifth generation.

<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**Advantages of computerized probes:** <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Computerized probes include Florida Probe system, GoProbe system, Heico Dent, Dentrix, Pro-Dentec, PerioPal, etc ( Brodala, N., 2011). These probes are used to educate and motivate the client, besides probing and charting. Important features include increased productivity, improved accuracy, automatic charting, customizable exam, and practice protection. Manual probing may result in dissimilar results between multiple clinicians due to everyone using varying amounts of pressure. Automated probing allows for more accurate results on one client. A special feature which consumers will love about the Florida Probe is that it voices the probing depths as they are automatically being recorded on the computer, which saves a lot of hassle for clinicians and cause less discomfort and pain to the clients. All of these factors combined, increase the patient's willingness and treatment acceptance. The GoProbe system is wireless and works with any manual probe. Florida Probe claim that GoProbe system of probing helps in generating high revenues for a practice. <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Intraoral cameras have proven to be a major factor in crown and bridge work acceptance by the patient. Similarly, computerized probing techniques have increased client comfort and acceptance.

<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">(Wells family dentistry, n.d.)

<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 18px;">(Wilbanks smile center, 2011)

**<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">Cost and ordering information of Florida Probe system: ** <span style="color: #0707a6; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">The Florida Probe system is $5,995.00  <span style="color: #0707a6; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">Second full system is discounted to $3,995.00  <span style="color: #0707a6; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">Go-Probe system is $2,695.00  <span style="color: #0707a6; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">Two work station software keys and two wireless keypads are included. Additional software keys for $349.00 each. Additional wireless keypads $495.00 each. <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">FP handpieces for $249.00 each. *Disk, Stent, CEJ handpieces are available by special order for research use and cost $349.00 each. <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Probe tips are 3 for $15.00 <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Short, long, and ball tips are also available, 3 for $20.00 <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Products can be ordered over the phone at 1-877-357-7623 <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Online at www.floridaprobe.com

<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 160%;">Demonstration of the Florida Probe. media type="youtube" key="40BOFJG5WQI" height="315" width="420" align="center"

<span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">[] **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 18px;">Let us now assess how much we have retained from the above information. **
 * 1) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">How many generation of probes are there at present?
 * 2) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">To which generation do computerized probes belong?
 * 3) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Give an example of a wireless computerized probe.
 * 4) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Which special feature does the Florida Probe system have?
 * 5) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Use of the Florida Probe increases client acceptance. T / F
 * 6) <span style="color: #0707a6; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Computerized probes cannot measure pocket depths in advanced periodontitis. T / F

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">References <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> Brodala. N., (2005). Dimensions of dental hygiene. //Beyond the probe.// Retrieved on November 10,2011, from http://www.dimensionsofdentalhygiene.com/ddhright.aspx?id=409 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> Compendium of continuing education in dentistry. (2011). //Periodontal probing systems: review of available equipment//. Retrieved on November 11, 2011 from http://www.dentalaegis.com/cced/2011/03/periodontal-probing-systems-a-review-of-available-equipment

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> Hamilton dental group. (2008). //The florida probe.//Retrieved on November 15, 2011 from http://www.hamiltondentalgroup.com/c/florida_probe_hd.html <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Wells family dentistry. (n.d.).//Computerized mapping of bone. [//Photograph]. Retrieved on November 15, 2011, from []

Wilbanks smile center. (2011).//The Florida probe.//[Photograph]. Retrieved on November 15, 2011 from []