Doitashi,
A Fracfinder or tooth slooth is a hard plastic instrument that resembles a small stick with a triangular or ridged surface on the one end. The dentist places that end into the patients mouth so that when the patient closes their teeth together, they bite down directly on this area of the stick. The stick is moved to different areas of the biting surface of the tooth each time the patient bites down on it. This can help diagnose certain fractures in teeth. Sometimes this test is inconclusive because as you mentioned, fractures can be difficult to diagnose depending on the location and depth of the fracture. However, it should be done whenever there is a suspicion of a fracture. I will attach a diagram of a Fracfinder.
Sometimes fractured teeth are not able to be diagnosed during a flap surgery because the fracture might not be displaced (jagged) or it could be so fine that it's not visible to the eye, or there may be several of them. Frequently the fracture is not diagnosed until the tooth is removed.
A 3D scan can be helpful in diagnosing a fracture of a tooth and/or the jaw bone as it offers a multi dimensional view of these areas compared to a 2 dimensional view with routine dental xrays.
Yearly (or more frequent) probing of the gum pockets should be done on every patient that is suspected of having any bone loss .... on every patient over 18 years of age... on any age patient suspected of having gum disease as well as those who have had gum disease.
A periodontal probe is a metal or plastic instrument that has a very thin 10mm ruler on one end. That ruler is gently placed in the gingival sulcus which is the space between the tooth and gum tissue. Six areas of the sulcus are measured on every tooth. Normal and healthy depths are 1-3 mm. Anything above the #3 is abnormal and needs to be evaluated for bacteria accumulation. Sometimes a person has very heavy and tenacious calculus built up along or below the gum line and this will interfere with obtaining accurate readings on the probe as the probe will not be able to get into those areas. Once that calculus is removed and the inflammation of the gum tissue calms down, then accurate probings can be done. I will attach a diagram of the periodontal probe.
Hope you find this information helpful.
Bryanna
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doitashi62
Bryanna,
Will have to check if the pocket depths were checked on his recent exam and cleaning. Did not know there was even such an instrument as a frac finder. I know that cracks/fractures have to be difficult at best to find (even with the best trained eye using regular x-rays or a 3d scan?). I thought the only way was for a specialist (oral surgeon/periodontist) to use a flap procedure to lift the gum away from the tooth/bone to verify. Thanks
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