Question

When is clinical attachment calculation minus?

a) When the clinical attachment is well-documented and meets the requirements.
b) When there are no clinical attachments to calculate.
c) When there are deficits or shortcomings in the clinical attachment.
d) When the clinical attachment duration exceeds a specified limit.

Answer 1

A negative clinical attachment level indicates deficits or shortcomings in the clinical attachment, and this is measured by calculating the distance from a fixed point to the base of the periodontal pocket compared to gum recession.

Step-by-step explanation:

The calculation of clinical attachment level (CAL) can be negative when there are deficits or shortcomings in the clinical attachment, thus the correct answer to your question is c) When there are deficits or shortcomings in the clinical attachment. In periodontal health assessments, CAL is an essential metric for evaluating the current and historical positions of the periodontal tissues. It is measured from a fixed point, such as the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ), to the base of the periodontal pocket.

If this fixed point is positioned below the CEJ due to gum recession, and the probing depth (distance from the gum line to the base of the pocket) is less than the recession amount, the calculation can yield a negative value, signifying clinical attachment loss.