Periodontal charting
Record probing depths, bleeding, recession, mobility, and furcation per tooth.
Overview
The perio chart records gum-tissue health: 6 probing depths per tooth, bleeding on probing, recession, mobility, furcation, plaque, calculus. It's the dentist's quantitative record of periodontal status.
Prerequisites
- Clinical role
advanced_chartingfeature flag (Professional+ tier)- Periodontal probe and the patient ready
Steps
Open the perio chart. Consultation → Dental Chart tab → Periodontal sub-tab. Or from the Charts tab on the patient profile.
Switch to data-entry mode. Click + New Periodontal Exam. The data entry grid appears: each tooth gets 6 cells (3 facial: mesiobuccal/buccal/distobuccal, 3 lingual).
Record probing depths. Type the value in mm. Use Tab to move between cells. Skipping a cell leaves it blank.
Mark bleeding on probing. Tap the cell after entering depth to toggle BoP. A red dot appears.
Record recession. Per tooth (single value, not per surface): mm of gingival recession.
Record mobility. Per tooth, scale 0-3.
Record furcation involvement. For multi-rooted teeth (molars). Scale 0-3.
Mark plaque and calculus. Optional but recommended for hygienist visits. Tap the tooth to add an icon.
Save the exam. Click Save. The exam is timestamped and stored as a new perio chart version.
Expected outcome
- A new PerioChart entry exists with all readings, linked to the visit
- The patient's periodontal indexes (worst pocket, average pocket, BoP%) update
- The chart appears on the Periodontal sub-tab next to historical exams
- High BoP% triggers a recall recommendation in 3-6 months
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Periodontal sub-tab missing | advanced_charting not enabled | Upgrade to Professional+ |
| Some cells locked | Tooth marked Missing | Missing teeth can't be probed; mark Implant if applicable |
| Indexes don't recalculate | Cache | Refresh the chart |
| Mobility scale unfamiliar | Standard 0-3 scale | 0=normal, 1=slight, 2=moderate, 3=severe; tooltip on the field |
| Exam won't save | Required fields blank | At least one probing depth required to save |