This can also be described as the radiographic bone height from the CEJ. The greatest
distance in each sextant from the CEJ to the radiographic bone
crest is used.
Choose the single greatest measurement of bone height from the CEJ per
sextant (do not take an average of all measurements
in that sextant).
Note that in the case where there is a is a vertical
bone lesion, the greatest distance is at the base or apical extent of
the bone lesion, which might not be interpreted as the bone crest. In
any case, you should indicate the greatest distance in each sextant
from the CEJ to the most apical level of bone that
is evident on the radiograph.
It is acceptable
to use radiographs that have been taken within 5 years of the examination.
This is marginally adequate since bone height generally does not change
enough in 5 years to affect the risk score.
However, the most accurate assessment requires radiographs taken the
day of the assessment, which can be accomplished with as few
as four bitewing radiographs. The use of only four posterior
bitewing radiographs will not permit the bone height measurement for
the upper anterior or lower anterior, and hence the risk and periodontal
health scores could be inaccurate. This is unlikely to be significant
for the patient whose diagnosis is health, gingivitis or beginning periodontitis,
indicated by Periodontal Disease state<=10 (less than or equal to
10). Radiographs of all teeth are indicated for patients
with severe periodontitis, indicated by Periodontal Disease state >=37
(greater than or equal to 37) to calculate accurate risk scores and
disease states.
Restorations and crowns may obscure the CEJ. In this situation, the
clinician should use previous records and his or her best judgment to
determine the radiographic bone height from the CEJ.
Note
that a Risk Assessment requires at least one radiographic
bone height value other than "No Teeth" and "No X-ray."
A pragmatic approach......
The distance from the CEJ to the alveolar crest in health is about 1.5mm. Therefore the <2mm score implies no bone loss other than perhaps the loss of the crestal lamina dura.
The 2-4mm bone loss value implies very mild to moderate bone loss and is an estimate by visual inspection (do not worry about using a ruler!).
The >4mm value indicates severe bone loss.
The "no teeth" obviously means no teeth in that sextant.
Clicking
the Previous button saves the field values you have
entered, and loads the Dental Info screen.
Clicking the Next button saves all the values you have
entered for this Risk Assessment, and loads the Reports Settings
screen.
Note: You can leave some required fields blank at this
point if you will be saving the Risk Assessment as Unfinished
and completing it later. The system allows you to move among the various
components of a Risk Assessment without forcing you to complete all
required fields. The system will check and enforce that all required
values have been entered when you click “Finish”
on the final screen at the point where data is transmitted to PreViser
for calculation.