[Accuracy of paralleling technique in measuring the depth of approximal infrabony pocket].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of paralleling technique in measuring the depth of approximal infrabony pocket after periodontal flap surgery by comparing the measured and actual depths. METHODS: The study population included 26 patients with infrabony defects who had undergone periodontal flap surgery, bone graft surgery, and guided tissue regene-ration. The measured and actual depths of approximal infrabony pocket after periodontal flap surgery were compared. The 26 infrabony defects were categorized into the following groups according to tooth position anterior teeth, premolar, and molar groups, and according to type of infrabony pocket one-walled, two-walled, and three-walled infrabony pocket groups. Paired t-test was used to detect the difference between the two values. RESULTS: Depth measurements of the approximal infrabony pocket depth of the anterior teeth and premolar were not significantly different (P>0.05), whereas those of the molar group were significantly different (P<0.05). In addition, depth measurements in one-walled and two-walled infrabony pocket groups showed no significant differences (P>0.05), whereas those in the three-walled infrabony pocket group were significantly different (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Paral-leling technique can accurately measure the depth of approximal infrabony pockets of anterior teeth and premolar teeth that are one- or two-walled. However, this method cannot accurately measure the approximal infrabony pockets of molar teeth and three-walled infrabony pockets as indicated by significant differences in their depth measurements.