Struggling with perio probing

[Ihateperio1234]

I feel incredibly stupid posting this, but I am a new third year struggling hard with perio. I can do srp no problem, I've extracted teeth, I feel comfortable with resto given the opportunity. However, I struggle so much with probing. It takes me so long to chart PDs and CAL. I feel like it's so hard to see the measurements on the probe. Such a simple and stupid thing and yet it takes me so long. Please share your tips on how to get faster at recording perio data. Thank you.

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[321931]

Don’t worry. Your hygienist will do all this in the future.

 

[AONLINE]

I'm also a new D3 so not much advice for you, but I'll try. Ask a fellow student to enter the numbers for you while you probe. And honestly, don't sweat it. As long as their PDs are not too crazy, just call it a 2 or a 3, who cares? Last week I assisted a classmate with perio charting, she took forever to decide whether a measurement is a 2 or a 3. It took her over 30 minutes to complete the whole perio chart. Don't be that person.

 

[Saddleshoes]

Please share your tips on how to get faster at recording perio data. Thank you.

1) Practice Practice Practice.
At this point in your development I guessing you have done less then 10 complete charting cases. After you have done a 100 you don't even think about it you just do it automatically.
2) Some perio probes are easier to read then others. You might try using a different model of perio probe.

 

[Ihateperio1234]

A

Don’t worry. Your hygienist will do all this in the future.

True but I need to be able to do it in school.

 

[Ihateperio1234]

I'm also a new D3 so not much advice for you, but I'll try. Ask a fellow student to enter the numbers for you while you probe. And honestly, don't sweat it. As long as their PDs are not too crazy, just call it a 2 or a 3, who cares? Last week I assisted a classmate with perio charting, she took forever to decide whether a measurement is a 2 or a 3. It took her over 30 minutes to complete the whole perio chart. Don't be that person.

Yeah, I'm starting to think my classmates half ass it a little while am being a perfectionist about it. I am that slow person like your classmate. The hygienist that checks me off checks every single number, bop, cal, etc. And is sooo picky. I think I need to just say screw it and allow her to change all my numbers.

 

[Ihateperio1234]

1) Practice Practice Practice.
At this point in your development I guessing you have done less then 10 complete charting cases. After you have done a 100 you don't even think about it you just do it automatically.
2) Some perio probes are easier to read then others. You might try using a different model of perio probe.

Thank you very much!

 

[Vicviper]

The main thing you need to get a feel for is what is a 4mm pocket, and what is a 5mm pocket, and there's a real difference there (other than the obvious 1mm) when you probe it. It takes time, but eventually you don't even have to look very closely, you can just feel how deep the probe goes in, and you look to confirm. For recession numbers, I'm usually giving a generalized ballpark based on how big I know 2,4,6mm are. Also, perio charting is never something that should be done alone, always try to get someone else to help you out for a minute while they're waiting for a professor, having to go back to the computer over and over again just makes it terrible.

 

[Faux]

I feel incredibly stupid posting this, but I am a new third year struggling hard with perio. I can do srp no problem, I've extracted teeth, I feel comfortable with resto given the opportunity. However, I struggle so much with probing. It takes me so long to chart PDs and CAL. I feel like it's so hard to see the measurements on the probe. Such a simple and stupid thing and yet it takes me so long. Please share your tips on how to get faster at recording perio data. Thank you.

I had issues seeing probe too, even in preclinic. It stopped being an issue after I got 4.5x loupes (from 2.5)

 

[Vicviper]

I had issues seeing probe too, even in preclinic. It stopped being an issue after I got 4.5x loupes (from 2.5)

Agreed, loupes help a ton, and let you really see the difference between a 3 and a 4 on the distal of #15

 

[FanOfCostco]

All you need to do is be able to probe 1 quads worth for boards. It's not even fake it till you make it. You just gotta fake it a little longer.

 

[redhotchiligochu]

Wait, are you talking about me? Did you chart for me that last time? Lmao jk

If only the tip goes in 1
Decent depth straight facial/lingual 2
Interdental papilla 3
Any perio pockets greater than 3 mm I actually measure.

It helps to look over the probe markings beforehand, like the UNC perio probe has bold lines in multiples of 5 e.g. 4-5 mm, 9-10 mm so I use that to guesstimate within 1 mm

Yeah, I'm starting to think my classmates half ass it a little while am being a perfectionist about it. I am that slow person like your classmate. The hygienist that checks me off checks every single number, bop, cal, etc. And is sooo picky. I think I need to just say screw it and allow her to change all my numbers.