title: Comparative evaluation of probing depth and clinical attachment level using a manual probe and Florida probe.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To compare and evaluate the intra- and inter-examiner efficacy and reproducibility of the first-generation manual (Williams) probe and the third-generation Florida probe in terms of measuring pocket probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty subjects/4000 sites were included in this comparative, cross-sectional study. Group- and site-wise categorizations were done. Based on gingival index, PD, and CAL, patients were divided into four groups, i.e., periodontally healthy, gingivitis, mild to moderate periodontitis, and severe periodontitis. Further, based on these parameters, a total of 4000 sites, with 1000 sites in each category randomly selected from these 40 patients, were taken. Full mouth PD and CAL measurements were recorded with two probes, by Examiner 1 and on Ramfjord teeth by Examiner 2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Full mouth and Ramfjord teeth group- and site-wise PD obtained with the manual probe by both the examiners were statistically significantly deeper than that obtained with the Florida probe. The full mouth and Ramfjord teeth mean CAL measurement by Florida probe was higher as compared to manual probe in mild to moderate periodontitis group and sites, whereas in severe periodontitis group and sites, manual probe recorded higher CAL as compared to Florida probe.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mean PD and CAL measurements were deeper with the manual probe as compared to the Florida probe in all the groups and sites, except for the mild-moderate periodontitis group and sites where the CAL measurements with the manual probe were less than the Florida probe. Manual probe was more reproducible and showed less interexaminer variability as compared to the Florida probe.
authors: Department of Dentistry, Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Sidhra, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
authors: Amandeep
authors: A
authors: Kour
authors: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors: Ashish
authors: A
authors: Kumar
authors: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors: Komal
authors: K
authors: Puri
authors: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors: Manish
authors: M
authors: Khatri
authors: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors: Mansi
authors: M
authors: Bansal
authors: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors: Geeti
authors: G
authors: Gupta
keywords: Clinical attachment level; Florida probe; Williams probe; probing depth