Degree of correlation between two periodontal indices in a rural Croatian population

Abstract

Aim: To compare the periodontal status of patients measured by two indices, the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and the Loss of Attachment Index (LA). Method: The CPI and LA index scores were determined for a sample of 367 adult subjects (1,535 dentate sextants) aged 15-65 years from two rural areas in Croatia and analysed according to subject, sextant and jaw. Results: Partial correlation between the CPI and LA indices was found. Cumulative for all age groups, sextants with a CPI code 0, 1 and 2 most often appeared with a LA 0-3mm. Shallow pocket sextants (4-5mm) in 64.04% also correlated with the loss of attachment values 4-5mm. In deep pocket sextants (6-8 mm), a deviation from expectations was found as they appeared more often with a LA 9-11 mm designation (46.24%), rather than with an LA 6-8mm (34.41%) score. Very similar results were found between distribution per sextant, person and jaw in CPI codes 2, 3, 4 and cumulatively. Conclusion: CPI itself is not sufficient for periodontal status assessment, especially for the 35-44 years of age, and even more so for the 65+ group, also for the CPI code 4 in all ages.