PERIODONTAL CHARTING
This
information sheet is prepared as an adjunct to the charting forms contained
within the Introductory Kit |
An integral part of
any patient examination is the assessment of periodontal status. Visual
cues, such as the appearance of the gingiva, can often lead to a false
sense that the patient is in health. Without some examination of the amount
of pocketing that is present under the gingival margin, no true assessment
of periodontal health can be made. Periodontal probing is an essential
part of this assessment. However, the recording of all this information
is not only time consuming, but it also requires adequately designed forms.
Future information sheets will outline the CPITN and full periodontal charting
techniques for screening and complete assessment purposes.
The problem of recording
probing depths on a repeated basis is that often on the treatment card
there is insufficient room to do such a recording along with a restorative
charting, or there is no form available to record this information separately.
Various approaches
have been developed, depending on the size of your records and your system
of storage. One of the most compact and adaptable forms is the use of a
Rubber Stamp, (either self inking or used with an ink pad). A stamp of
the design such as the one illustrated in the Kit can fit on 8x5 cards,
and is stamped onto the patient's record whenever a periodontal examination
is undertaken. In this way, the recording of the periodontal examination,
diagnosis and treatment is not separate from the rest of the patient's
dental record, giving a good overview of the order of treatment.
Many practices throughout
Australia already use, or would like to start using, a separate card or
sheet of paper to record the periodontal examination. Included in the Kit
are examples of both four site or six site periodontal recording forms
which can be folded to slip into an envelope storage system. The four probing
sites per tooth forms allow for adequate recording for many patients. However,
because periodontitis is such a site specific disease, there is a benefit
in recording six sites per tooth and we would therefore encourage practices
to use these forms especially for those patients who will be requiring
on- going advanced periodontal care.
The example forms
have the advantage of being a "prompt" to the operator with regard to notations
of- Probing depths Calculus 3. Bleeding 4. Recession 5. Mobility/furcation
involvement 6. Radiographic findings '7. Diagnosis 8. Prognosis 9. Treatment
planning You may like to adapt one of these forms to suit your individual
recording style, or you may wish to contact the Dental Practice Education
Research Unit at the University of Adelaide, and we will advise you on
the printing and delivery of a form which suits your practice.
TO
TOP |