Periodontal instruments are designed for specific purposes such as removing calculus, planning root surfaces, curing gingiva, and removing diseased tissue. The main instruments discussed are periodontal probes, explorers, and scaling, root planing, and curettage instruments. Periodontal probes are used to measure pocket depth and clinical attachment level, among other assessments. Explorers are used to locate calculus and check tooth surfaces. Scaling, root planing, and curettage instruments are for removing calculus, smoothing root surfaces, and removing diseased tissue.

2. PERIODONTAL INSTRUMENTS ARE DESIGNED
FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES, SUCH AS
REMOVING CALCULUS, PLANNING ROOT
SURFACES, CURETTING THE GINGIVA,
AND REMOVING DISEASED TISSUE.

3. Periodontal probe
Explorers
Scaling, root-planning, and curettage
instruments
The periodontal endoscope
Cleansing and polishing instruments

5. PERIODONTAL PROBE
•

6. • IT SHOULD BE TISSUE FRIENDLY AND NOT TRAUMATIZE THE
PERIODONTAL TISSUES
DURING PROBING.
• IT SHOULD BE SUITABLE AS A MEASURING INSTRUMENT.
• IT SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED TO ENSURE REPRODUCIBILITY,
PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO RECOMMENDED
PRESSURE.
• IT SHOULD BE SUITABLE BOTH FOR USE IN CLINICAL SETTING
WHERE PRECISE DATA
DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED AND ON INDIVIDUAL PATIENT
BASIS, AND FOR SCREENING
PURPOSES, AS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY.
• IT SHOULD BE EASY AND SIMPLE TO USE AND READ.

7. • TO MEASURE SULCUS AND POCKET DEPTH
• TO MEASURE CLINICAL ATTACHMENT LEVEL
• TO DETERMINE WIDTH OF ATTACHED GINGIVA
• TO ASSESS THE PRESENCE OF BLEEDING OR PURULENT
EXUDATE
• TO DETECT AND QUANTIFY FURCATION IN MOLAR TOOTH
SPECIALLY BY NABERS PROBE.
• TO DETERMINE THE BIOTYPE OF GINGIVA
• TO MEASURE THE SIZE OF ORAL LESIONS
• TO DETECT GINGIVAL RECESSION
• TO DETECT EDEMA .

9. Conventional Manual Probe
Composed of either stainless
steel or plastic. The design of the
working ends of manual probes
are either tapered, round, flat, or
rectangular with smooth rounded
ends and are calibrated in
millimetres at various intervals.
Probes have either straight or
curved working ends.

10. Tactile sensitivity
Easily available and inexpensive.
Even in presence of sub gingival calculus probe
can be inserted with little navigation by the
operator.
Tip is rounded to avoid tissue trauma.
Color coded for faster and easier identification of
readings.
Probes are heavy
Probing force is not
controlled.
Errors during
visualization

11. • A. Marquis color-coded probe. Calibrations are in 3,6,9,12mm sections.
• B. UNC-15 probe, a 15-mm long probe with millimeter markings and color
coding at the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth millimeters.
• C. University of Michigan “O” probe, with Williams markings (at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8,
9, and 10 mm).
• D. Michigan “O” probe with markings at 3, 6, and 8 mm.
• E. World Health Organization(WHO) probe, which has a 0.5-mm ball at the
tip and millimeter markings at 3.5, 8.5, and 11.5 mm and color coding from 3.5
to 5.5 mm

12. CHARLES H.M. WILLIAMS IN 1936 INTRODUCED
GRADUATED PERIODONTAL PROBE.
• IT IS STAINLESS STEEL PROBE WITH DIAMETER 1MM ,LENGTH 13MM AND
BLUNT TIP END.
• THE PROBE TIP AND HANDLES ARE ENCLOSED AT 130.8 DEGREE
• 4 AND 6 MM MARKINGS ARE MISSING WHICH MINIMIZE CONFUSION
DURING READING DUE TO SMALL SIZE OF MARKINGS.
4 MM IS THE UPPER LIMIT OF MODERATE PERIODONTITIS AND 6 MM IS
CONSIDERED ADVANCED (≥ 5 MM) PERIODONTITIS.

13. • • 15MM MARKING
• • MARKING AT 5,10,AND 15 MM
• • PROBE TIP DIAMETER 0.6MM
• • THIN SHANK ALLOWS ACCESS INTO
TIGHT FIBROTIC SULCI. SUITABLE FOR USE IN
DEEP PERIODONTAL POCKETS.
• • IT IS PREFERRED FOR CLINICAL TRIALS
WHERE CONVENTIONAL PROBE IS REQUIRED.

14. • CALIBRATIONS ARE IN 3MM SECTIONS TO FACILITATE
EASY READ OUT OF POCKET DEPTH.
• • MARKINGS ARE 3,6,9,12MM.
• • IT IS AVAILABLE IN BOTH STRAIGHT AND CURVED
DESIGNS AND HAS THE SLIMMEST TIP.

15. • IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THE ACCURACY
AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF READINGS AND TO
IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, MICHIGAN “O” PROBE WAS
INTRODUCED BY RAMFJORD.
• • IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THIS PROBE AS THIN
AS POSSIBLE AND TO GIVE IT THE MOST VERSATILE
ANGULATION FOR UNIVERSAL PROBING OF
PERIODONTAL POCKETS
• • MARKINGS ARE AT 3 ,6, AND 8 MM

16. • • THERE WILL BE MARKINGS AT 1,2,3,5,7,8,9,10 MM.
• THERE WILL BE NO COLOUR CODING(BLACK BANDS) .
FLAT WORKING END FOR EASIER INSERTION IN FACIAL
AND LINGUAL SURFACES.
• • IT IS USED TO ASSESS PERIODONTAL POCKET
DEPTHS, ATTACHMENT LEVELS, ANATOMY
CONFIGURATIONS AND GINGIVAL BLEEDING.
• • FLAT SHANK DOES NOT ALLOW EASY ACCESS
INTO TIGHT FIBROTIC POCKETS.

17. • FIRST DESCRIBED BY WHO AND FDI IN 1978 AND INTRODUCED BY JUKKA
AINAMO, DAVID BARMES, GEORGE BEAGRIE IN 1982. IT IS RECOMMENDED
FOR SCREENING AND MONITORING PATIENTS USING CPITN INDEX.
• PURPOSES- 1.MEASUREMENT OF POCKET DEPTH 2.DETECTION OF SUBGINGIVAL
CALCULUS
• THE FDI /WHO JOINT WORKING GROUP HAS ADVISED THE MANUFACTURERS
OF CPITN PROBES TO IDENTIFY THE INSTRUMENTS AS CPITN–E
(EPIDEMIOLOGIC) , WHICH HAVE 3.5-MM AND 5.5-MM MARKINGS, AND
CPITN–C (CLINICAL), WHICH HAVE 3.5-MM, 5.5-MM, 8.5- MM, AND 11.5-
MM MARKINGS.
• CPITN PROBES HAVE THIN HANDLES AND ARE LIGHTWEIGHT (5GM). THE
PROBES HAVE A BALL TIP OF 0.5 MM, WITH A BLACK BAND BETWEEN 3.5
MM AND 5.5 MM, AS WELL AS BLACK RINGS AT 8.5 MM AND 11.5 MM.
• ADVANTAGES:-
• A. BALL TIP FOR PATIENT COMFORT.
• B. COLOUR CODED FROM 3.5-5.5; EASY TO READ MARKINGS.
• C. THIN SHANK ALLOWS ACCESS INTO TIGHT FIBROTIC SULCUS.

18. • SOME OTHER 1ST GENERATION PROBES THAT ARE USED ARE FURCATION PROBE, LL 20 PROBE(HU-
FRIEDY USA), PLASTIC PROBE, BIOTYPE PROBE.
FURCATION PROBE
(NABERS PROBE)
Advantages:- Ideal for
detection of mesial
and distal
furcations in maxillary
molars.
LL 20 PROBE(HU-FRIEDY
USA)
• A conventional
manual probe marked
in
increments of 1 mm
upto 20mm.
PLASTIC PROBE
Vividyellow tip and
black markings
provide
increasedintraoral
visibility for faster and
more accurate
assessments

19. • CONSTANT FORCE CONTROLLED PRESSURE PROBES
• • THEY ARE PRESSURE SENSITIVE PROBE.
• • SECOND GENERATION PROBES WERE DEVELOPED IN AN EFFORT TO STANDARDIZE
AND QUANTIFY THE PRESSURE USED DURING PROBING.
• • SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE THAT DEMONSTRATED PROBING PRESSURE SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED
AND NOT EXCEED 0.2 N/MM 2 LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE PROBES.
• • ACCORDING TO HEFTI ET AL., SOME RESEARCH “IDENTIFIED A POSITIVE
CORRELATION BETWEEN PROBING FORCE AND DEPTH OF PROBE PENETRATION”.
• • WEINBERG ET AL. STATED THAT CONTROLLED FORCE OF 20 TO 25 GRAMS PROBE
DURING PROBING REDUCED EXAMINER ERROR.
• • THE SECOND GENERATION PROBES DID NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION.

20. • ADVANTAGES OF SECOND GENERATION PROBES:-
• •STANDARDIZATION OF PROBING FORCES.
• •COMFORTABLE TO THE PATIENT.
• •CONSTANT PRESSURE.
• DISADVANTAGES OF SECOND GENERATION PROBES:-
• •PROBE TIP MAY PASS BEYOND THE JUNCTIONAL EPITHELIUM IN INFLAMED SITES.
• •READING HAS TO BE PERFORMED MANUALLY.
• •NO COMPUTER STORAGE OF THE DATA.
• EXAMPLES OF 2ND GENERATION PROBES ARE PRESSURE PROBE,

21. • CONSTANT FORCE PLUS COMPUTER ASSISTED PROBE
• IT MINIMIZES THE ERRORS OF SECOND GENERATION BY USING NOT ONLY STANDARDIZED
PRESSURE, BUT ALSO DIGITAL READOUTS OF THE PROBES’ READINGS AND COMPUTER STORAGE
OF DATA. THIS GENERATION INCLUDES COMPUTER- ASSISTED DIRECT DATA CAPTURE TO
REDUCE EXAMINER BIAS AND ALLOWS FOR GREATER PROBE PRECISION. THESE PROBES REQUIRE
COMPUTERIZATION OF THE DENTAL OPERATORY AND CAN BE USED BY CLINICIANS AND
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS FOR RESEARCH .THESE PROBES REDUCE THE ERRORS IN READING THE
PROBE, RECORDING DATA, AND CALCULATING ATTACHMENT LEVEL.
• EXAMPLES ARE FOST

22. • THESE ARE THREE DIMENSIONAL PROBES IN WHICH SEQUENTIAL PROBE POSITIONS
ARE MEASURED.
FIFTH GENERATION PROBE
PROBES ARE BEING DESIGNED TO BE 3D AND NON-INVASIVE: AN ULTRASOUND
OR OTHER DEVICE IS ADDED TO THE FOURTH GENERATION PROBE. FIFTH-
GENERATION PROBES AIM TO IDENTIFY THE ATTACHMENT LEVEL WITHOUT
PENETRATING IT.

23. EXPLORERS
• EXPLORERS ARE USED TO LOCATE
CALCULUS DEPOSITS, AND
CARIOUS AREAS AND TO CHECK THE
TOOTH SURFACE IRREGULARITIES, &
DEFECTIVE MARGINS ON
RESTORATIONS.
• • EXPLORERS ARE DESIGNED WITH
DIFFERENT SHAPES AND ANGLES FOR
A VARIETY OF USES.
• • EXPLORER HAVE FLEXIBLE SHANK &
CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION.

24. • • USED FOR SUPRAGINGIVAL EXAMINATION
OF MARGINS OF RESTORATION OR TO ASSESS FOR
SEALANT RETENTION
• • NOT RECOMMENDED FOR SUBGINGIVAL USE BECAUSE
POINT COULD INJURE THE SOFT TISSUE
• E.G. 23 & 54 EXPLORER

25. • USED FOR CALCULUS DETECTION IN NORMAL SULCI OR
SHALLOW POCKETS.
• CARE MUST BE TAKEN NOT TO INJURE SOFT TISSUE BASE OF
SULCUS OR POCKET IF
• WORKING-END IS USED SUBGINGIVALLY.
• E.G. 3 & 3A EXPLORER

26. • CALCULUS DETECTION IN NORMAL SULCI OR
SHALLOW POCKET EXTENDING NO DEEPER THAN
CERVICAL THIRD OF ROOT.
• CURVED LOWER SHANK CAUSES
CONSIDRABLE STRETCHING AWAY FROM ROOT SURFACE
• E.G. 3ML, 3CH & 2A EXPLORER

27. • TIP IS BENT AT 90˚ ANGLE TO LOWER SHANK.
• STRAIGHT LOWER SHANK ALLOWS INSERTION IN NARROW
POCKETS WITH SLIGHT STRETCHING OF SOFT TISSUE
• USED IN ASSESSMENT OF ANTERIOR ROOT SURFACE
&FACIAL & LINGUAL SURFACE OF POSTERIOR TEETH, TO
CHECK CARIES
• E.G. 17, 20F &TU17

28. • TIP AT 90˚ ANGLE TO LOWER SHANK
• USED IN ANTERIOR & POSTERIOR TEETH EQUALLY BECAUSE
OF LONG COMPLEX SHANK
• USED IN DEEP PERIODONTAL POCKETS, & SULCI
• E.G. ODU 11/12 & 11/12A EXPLORER

29. • USED FOR SUPRAGINGIVAL EXAMINATION OF MARGINS OF
RESTORATION & TO ASSESS FOR SEALANT RETENTION
• CALCULUS DETECTION IN SHALLOW POCKETS
• E.G. 6, 6A, & 6XL EXPLORER