Periodontitis in 13-year-old Jamaican children

ABSTRACT

The goal of this study was to determine if the Community Periodontal Index and Treatment Need (CPITN) screening method can detect an adolescent group at high risk for alveolar bone loss due to periodontitis. Forty-five Jamaican children, age 13 years, with a pocket depth exceeding 3.5mm on at least on index tooth were identified by CPITN for this cohort study. Current periodontal disease was noted by the presence of bleeding upon probing (97.8 percent) and subgingival calculus (41.5 percent) around the index teeth. Digital imaging software was used to analyze the radiographs and indicated alveolar bone loss greater than 2mm in 93.3 percent of subjects and greater than 3mm in 42.2 percent. The CPITN screening method was shown to be valuable as a tool for identifying this high-risk population.(AU)