Periodontal (gum) disease can occur at any age, with over half of all people over the age of 18 having some form of the disease. Periodontal charting (probing) is an essential tool to help diagnose gum disease problems and to follow the success of gum therapies. A periodontal probe, with ruled millimeter markings, is used to measure the depth of the space between the teeth and gums. Ideally, normal measurements range between 1 and 3 millimeters deep, depths greater than this may signify the presence of periodontal pockets and associated gum disease. 
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