In PSR, how many readings are recorded per sextant?

• A. One reading per sextant.
• B. Two readings per sextant.
• C. Three readings per sextant.
• D. No readings per sextant; only an overall code.

Answer: (A)

In PSR the mouth is divided into six sextants, and for each sextant you record a single code that represents the most severe finding found there. This keeps the screening fast and uniform: you don’t write multiple readings for different teeth within the same sextant, you summarize the whole sextant with one reading. The code reflects pocket depth and related findings (bleeding on probing, calculus, shallow pockets, or deeper pockets), with higher codes indicating more significant issues. Even if some teeth in a sextant are healthy and others show problems, you take the highest code observed in that sextant. If there are no issues in a sextant, you record the healthiest code (0). This one-reading-per-sextant approach provides a quick, standardized snapshot of periodontal status across the entire mouth, guiding whether full charting or more detailed assessment is needed next.