What action should be taken if PSR findings indicate advanced periodontal destruction?

• A. Schedule a full periodontal examination or referral to a periodontist.
• B. Continue routine care.
• C. Re-perform PSR with same results.
• D. Ignore.

Answer: (A)

PSR is a screening tool, so when the findings indicate advanced periodontal destruction, the next step is to arrange a full periodontal examination or refer to a periodontist. A comprehensive evaluation goes beyond the quick score to map pocket depths, clinical attachment loss, and bone loss on radiographs, and to assess furcation involvement, tooth mobility, and occlusion, along with systemic factors. This thorough assessment is needed to develop a definitive treatment plan, which may involve non-surgical therapy, surgical or regenerative procedures, or specialist care. Continuing routine care or redoing the screening without a full assessment would miss critical disease information, and ignoring the finding could allow the condition to worsen.