METHOD AND TOOL FOR ORAL SUBSTRATE MEASUREMENT IN ANIMALS

A gingival contour probe comprising a shaft portion and an elongated tip portion attached at a proximal end thereof to the shaft portion, the tip portion being non-planarly bent and/or curved and carrying markings, the number and scale of which are indicative of measured lengths; the probe being adapted at least by the number and/or scale of the markings for use in convenient gingival margin measurement of a tooth in a conscious non-human animal. A method for quantifying dental plaque in a conscious non-human animal comprising (a) aligning the tip portion of such a gingival contour probe with a gingival margin of a tooth in the animal; (b) by reference to the markings on the tip portion of the probe, measuring the length of the margin and the length of plaque deposit if any at the margin; and (c) calculating a plaque score for the tooth by comparing the length of plaque deposit with the length of the margin.