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What Do The Numbers My Dentist Calls Out Mean?

What Do The Numbers My Dentist Calls Out Mean?
Posted on 11/05/2018
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At Furumoto Dentistry, we are committed to providing the best dental care with friendly and compassionate service. We do this through our wide selection of dental services, including periodontal treatment, for patients throughout Brea, Diamond Bar, and the surrounding areas. Drs. Michael and Brent and their dedicated staff work hard to ensure that our patients are comfortable in every part of the dental process. That’s why we’ve provided the following information on probing numbers to help you understand your examinations more fully.

What Are Probing Numbers?

When you visit our Diamond Bar office for a dental cleaning or exam, you will hear us say numbers like 2, 3, or 4 while we examine your smile. What are these numbers? Simply put, they are probing numbers which are the measurements of depth or space between your gums and teeth. Your gums are naturally separated from your teeth by small pockets before they attach. If bacteria or gum disease is present, these small pockets will get deeper and thus, have a larger measurement. Healthy gums typically have a 1 or 2 millimeter space in between.

Why Do We Call Out Probing Numbers?

Your Brea dentist or dental hygienist will say these numbers aloud during your examination to help determine whether we need to provide preventative or restorative treatment for gum disease. The measurements are taken usually a few times a year, and your Brea dentist records them in your electronic chart for reference.

Probing Numbers & Gum Disease

A periodontal probe is used to gently take measurements in millimeters from the top to the bottom of the pocket. If a tooth shows signs of gum disease, the tissue will start to detach, causing weakened bone, reduced bone height, inflamed gum tissue, and deeper pocket formation.Typically, if your measurements are above 2 millimeters, they will be considered unhealthy, and your Diamond Bar dentist will need to address the bacteria or infection to help save your smile from periodontal or gum disease.

Contact Your Diamond Bar Dentist Today!

Here at Furumoto Dentistry, we believe that everyone deserves to have their healthiest smile. That’s why we offer only the highest quality dental services and treatments to our Brea and Diamond Bar patients. If you have any questions related to probing numbers, gum disease, periodontics or any of the treatments we offer, we encourage you to contact us, or schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile!