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Reliability of Attachment Level Measurements Using the Cementoenamel Junction and a Plastic Stent
Author(s) -
Clark D. Christopher,
Quee T. Chin,
Bergeron M. J.,
Chan E. C. S.,
LautarLemay C.,
de Gruchy K.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.036
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1943-3670
pISSN - 0022-3492
DOI - 10.1902/jop.1987.58.2.115
Subject(s) - cementoenamel junction , reliability (semiconductor) , stent , dentistry , orthodontics , materials science , biomedical engineering , medicine , power (physics) , surgery , physics , quantum mechanics , molar
R epeated measurements of attachment level appear to be important assessments in periodontal clinical trials, yet the lack of reliability for this assessment creates measurement error which in turn demands increased sample sizes or reduces the power of the test. A plastic occlusal stent has been developed as a fixed reference point to assess changes in probing depths over time and thus reflect differences in attachment levels. The advantages of this system over traditional methods have not been measured. The purpose of this study was to determine intra‐ and interexaminer reliability for probing depths from the stent and the CEJ. Paired measurements of attachment level using the stent produced correlation coefficients for inter‐ and intraexaminer readings of 0.84 and 0.76, respectively. For subgingival cementoenamel (CEJ) measurements, lower coefficients of 0.71 and 0.59 were found for inter‐ and intraexaminer paired readings, respectively. Thus, measurements using the stent appear to be more reliable than subgingival CEJ readings.