BSP Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) Guidelines 2019 PDF

Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) Careful assessment of the periodontal tissues is an essential component of patient management. The BPE is a simple and rapid screening tool that is used to indicate the level of further examination needed and provide basic guidance on treatment needed. These BPE g...

Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) Careful assessment of the periodontal tissues is an essential component of patient management. The BPE is a simple and rapid screening tool that is used to indicate the level of further examination needed and provide basic guidance on treatment needed. These BPE guidelines are not prescriptive but represent a minimum standard of care for initial periodontal assessment. BPE should be used for screening only and should not be used for diagnosis. The clinician should use their skill, knowledge and judgment when interpreting BPE scores, taking into account factors that may be unique to each patient. Deviation from these guidelines may be appropriate in individual cases, for example where there is a lack of patient engagement. General guidance on the implications of BPE scores is indicated in the table below. The BPE scores should be considered together with other factors when making decisions about referral (as outlined in the companion BSP document “Referral Policy and Parameters of Care”). Guidelines for the use of BPE in younger patients can be found in the BSP document “Guidelines for periodontal screening and management of children and adolescents under 18 years of age.” The UK Implementation guidance of the 2017 Classification for periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions maps to the BPE guidelines and is documented in Periodontal diagnosis in the context of the 2017 classification system of periodontal diseases and conditions – Implementation in Clinical Practice, T. Dietrich, P. Ower, M. Tank, N. X. West, C. Walter, I. Needleman, F. J. Hughes, R. Wadia, M. R. Milward, P. J. Hodge, I. L. C. Chapple & on behalf of the British Society of Periodontology, BDJ volume 226, pages 16–22 (11 January 2019) https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2019.3 How to record the BPE 1. The dentition is divided into 6 sextants and the 2. All teeth in each sextant are examined 5. The probe should be ‘walked around’ highest score for each sextant is recorded: (with the exception of 3rd molars unless 1st the teeth in each sextant. All sites should and/or 2nd molars are missing). be examined to ensure that the highest Upper right (17 to 14) score in the sextant is recorded before Lower right (47 to 44) 3. For a sextant to qualify for recording, it must moving on to the next sextant. If a code Upper anterior (13 to 23) contain at least 2 teeth. 4 is identified in a sextant, continue to Lower anterior (43 to 33) examine all sites in the sextant. This will 4. A World Health Organisation (WHO) BPE Upper left (24 to 27) probe is used. This has a ‘ball end’ 0.5mm in help to gain a fuller understanding of Lower left (34 to 37) diameter and a black band from 3.5mm to the periodontal condition and will make 5.5mm. Light probing force should be used sure that furcation involvements are (20-25 grams). not missed. Scoring Codes 0 1 2 3 4 * Pockets Pockets Pockets Probing depth Probing depth Furcation