Patient Difficulty Determination
Department of Dental Hygiene
Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
University of Maryland at Baltimore
Guidelines for Determining Case Difficulty Level
| Accretion Levels Stain |
| |
L |
M |
H |
| light colored linear and/or diffuse |
X |
|
|
| dark colored linear and/or diffuse |
X |
X |
|
| brown/black leathery |
|
X |
|
| Supramarginal Calculus |
|
L |
M |
H |
| light, scattered spicules |
X |
|
|
| fine, continuous band of calculus at gingival 1/3 |
X |
|
|
| veneer of calculus covering up to 2/3 of the clinical crown |
x |
x |
x |
| continuous band of dense calculus covering up to 2/3 clinical crown |
|
X |
X |
| bulky, ledge-like mass deposit covering up to 2/3 of clinical crown |
|
|
X |
| gross, bulky mass (“calculoma”) may or may not extend to occlusal surface |
|
|
X |
| Submarginal Calculus |
|
L |
M |
H |
| discrete, scattered spicules |
X |
X |
|
| isolated projection/individual nodules |
|
X |
|
| continuous band of dense calculus |
|
X |
X |
| isolated areas of burnished/veneer calculus |
|
X |
X |
| bulky, ledge-like mass |
|
|
X |
Instrumentation associated with Case Difficulty Levels*
| L- |
Light scaling required, or may include minimal root planing |
| M- |
Moderate scaling required including |
| H- |
Moderately extensive/extensive scaling required and/or generalized |
*Difficulty level is determined by assessing both the quantity and quality