Probing Depth (PD): measured clinically as the

distance between gingival margin and base of the

pocket
Bleeding on probing (BOP): bleeding from the
sulcus/pocket that occurs following probing.
Recorded as present or absent.
Suppuration: presence of pus in the periodontal
pocket.

Gingival recession is measured as the distance

between CEJ and gingival margin.
Clinical attachment level (CAL): “when the gingival
margin is on the anatomic crown, CAL is
determined by subtracting from the depth of the
pocket the distance from the gingival margin to the
cemento-enamel junction (CEJ)…when the
gingival margin coincides with the CEJ, the loss of
attachment equals the pocket depth. When the
gingival margin is located apical to the CEJ,...the
distance between the CEJ and the gingival margin
should be added to the probing depth.”
Keratinized gingiva is the distance between
Mucogingival junction and the gingival margin. The
width of the attached gingiva is “the distance
between Mucogingival junction and … the external
surface of the bottom of the gingival junction.” This
means that the attached gingiva is calculated by
subtracting the PD from the keratinized gingiva.
Mobility: teeth that have more than physiological
mobility.
Methods to measure mobility:
a) two instruments
b) one instrument and one finger

Miller (1950) Mobility index:

Class I: first distinguishable sign of movement
greater than “normal”;
Class II: movement of the crown up to 1 mm in any
direction;
Class III: movement of the crown more than 1 mm
in any direction and/or vertical depression or
rotation of the crown in its socket

Fremitus: palpable or visible movement of the

tooth when subjected to occlusal forces.
Furcation Invasion: pathological resorption of bone
within a furcation.

Hamp et al. (1975) classification of furcation

invasion:
Grade I: horizontal furcation invasion less than
3mm;
Grade II: horizontal furcation invasion more than
3mm but not encompassing the total width of the
furcation;
Grade III: horizontal through-and-through furcation
invasion.
Gingival index , GI (Loe and Silness 1963):
One method to “measure” severity of gingivitis,
especially in epidemiological studies.

Score criteria
0 Normal gingiva
1 Mild inflammation: slight change in color
and edema. No BOP
2 Moderate inflammation: redness, edema
and glazing, BOP
3 Severe inflammation: marked redness
and edema, ulceration, spontaneous
bleeding
Plaque index (PI) of Silness and Loe 1964:
Score Criteria
0 No plaque
1 Minimal plaque, only detected at the tip
of the explorer after passing it at the
sulcus
2 Plaque “visually” detected at the cervical
part of the crown. Does not exceed 1/3 of
the crown
3 Abundant plaque covering more than 1/3
of the crown