Inter-examiner reproducibility of probing pocket depths in molar furcation sites

This investigation was designed to determine the reproducibility of probing pocket depths in maxillary facial and mandibular facial and lingual grade II and III molar furcation sites. 80 untreated molar teeth with 102 furcation invasions due to periodontitis were probed with a pressure-sensitive periodontal probe by 3 examiners. 8 sites per furcation were measured by each examiner at a single examination. The sequence of examiner probing was rotated in order to evaluate the effect of sequential probing. Tracings were made from radiographs of the inter-root separations in order to classify the interradicular space and to determine the effect of root separation on reproducibility. Data was analyzed by regression analysis. Pearson correlations, intraclass correlations, and the Student-Newman-Keuls test. Analysis indicated a high reproducibility of the maxillary facial and mandibular facial and lingual furcation sites in this untreated adult sample. No effect was due to probing sequence. The mid-root prominences, the line angles, and the internal surface sites of the furcation roots were recordable and reproducible, while the horizontal measurements were not consistently recordable. The reproducibility of the facial and lingual furcation sites that were probed decreased with an increase in probing pocket depth and an increased degree of root separation.