Partial-mouth periodontal examination in post-orthodontic subjects

A partial-mouth recording system for periodontal disease was applied to an untreated control group and a post-orthodontic study group. The results for the two groups were substantially different.

It was found that different sites and teeth were required in the post-orthodontic group in order to raise the probability of including the deepest sulcus to greater than 85%.

While it may be postulated that orthodontic treatment alters the pattern and distribution of periodontal estimators, it is not possible to validate this hypothesis from the present data, although they might suggest it.