In Vitro Accuracy of the Single-Use Hunter TPS Periodontal Probe Considering Material Fatigue and Erroneous Assembly

Repeated measurements of pocket depth (PD), probing attachment level (PAL) and bleeding on probing (BoP) are among the most important diagnostic means for evaluating the status of periodontal health (Listgarten, 1980; Lang et al, 1991; Hefti, 1997). Ideally a blunted probe is gently inserted into the gingival sulcus until the probe tip reaches the most apical extension of the dentogingival epithelium. Numerous experimental studies however have shown that in a clinical situation several parameters may substantially impair the precision and reproducibilty of the measurements. Among them are the probing force (Mombelli and Graf, 1986), the thickness of the probe tip (Attasi et al, 1992), the inflammatory status of the subgingival connective tissue (Spray et al, 1978; Fowler et al, 1982), and the difficulty to introduce the probe tip reproducibly at the identical position and angulation (Pihlström, 1992). The control of the applied probing force is of particular concern, as the terminal position of the probe tip within the periodontal tissues is signifiIn Vitro Accuracy of the Single-Use Hunter TPS Periodontal Probe Considering Material Fatigue and Erroneous Assembly