probing technique

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Probing Concepts


• Probing: the act of walking the tip of a probe along the base of a sulcus or pocket for the purpose of assessing the health status of the periodontal tissues


Walking Stroke


Probe Walking Stroke

• Walking stroke: a series of bobbing strokes that are made within the sulcus or pocket while keeping the probe tip against the tooth surface


Production of Walking Strokes

1. Insert the probe and lightly run the tip along the tooth surface until it encounters the soft tissue base of the sulcus or pocket.

• The junctional epithelium that forms the base of a sulcus or pocket feels soft and flexible when touched with the probe tip.



2. Create a walking stroke by moving the probe tip up and down in short bobbing strokes.

3. Move forward in 1 mm increments.



• The probe is NOT removed from the sulcus with each stroke.

• Repeatedly removing the probe can traumatize the tissue.


Stroke Pressure

• A pressure exerted with the probe tip against the soft tissue base of the sulcus or pocket should be between 10 and 20 grams.


Calibrate with a Scale

• Standardize your probing pressure by practicing on a scale that measures weight in grams.


Adaptation of Probe Tip


Probe Tip

• The Probe tip is 1 to 2 mm of the side of the probe.


• The probe tip is kept in contact with the tooth surface throughout the walking stroke.

Adaptation of Probe Tip


Incorrect Adaptation

• The probe tip should NOT be held away from the tooth.


Parallelism


• The probe is positioned as parallel as possible to the tooth surface.

• The probe must be parallel in the mesiodistal dimension and the faciolingual dimension.


Probe Parallel to Long Axis

• This probe is correctly positioned parallel to the long axis of the tooth.


Incorrect Technique

• This probe is incorrectly positioned.

• It is not parallel to the long axis of the tooth.


Walk Around the Entire Tooth

Bob along that soft tissue base all around the tooth.


• Walking strokes with the probe should cover the entire circumference of the sulcus or pocket base.


Depths Vary in a Single Area

• It is common for the depth of a pocket to be deeper in one place.


Walk the Entire Circumference

• Walk around the entire circumference to avoid missing a deeper area.


Measurements

How are measurements recorded?


Measurements Recorded

• Measurements are recorded for 6 specific sites on each tooth.


Record the Deepest Measurement

• In this example, the deepest reading would be recorded for the facial reading.

• That reading is the one taken at point C.


Taking Readings on the Mesial and Distal Surfaces


• When two teeth are in contact—side by side—a special technique is used to probe the area directly beneath the contact area.


Interproximal Readings

• It is impossible to probe the base of the sulcus that is directly under the contact area.

• The probe cannot fit between two adjacent teeth.


• A two step technique is used to probe the mesial and distal surfaces.


Step 1: Touch the Contact Area

• Walk the probe between the teeth until it touches the contact area.


• Slant the probe slightly so that the tip reaches under the contact area.

• In this position, gently press downward to touch the soft tissue base.

Step 2: Tilt the Probe


Probing Maxillary MolarsA tight fit!


Mandible Gets in the Way

• It can be difficult to probe the distal surfaces of the maxillary molars because the mandible gets in the way.


• Reposition the instrument handle to the side of the patient’s face to reach the distal surfaces of the maxillary molars.

Solution


Recap

• A very careful, precise technique is used to assess the depths of a sulcus or pocket.

• Use of the walking stroke, correct adaptation, and parallelism are all important.

probing technique

Education