| Summary: | The use of radiographic indices is noticeably diminished due to the lack of simplicity and standardisation among the existing ones. The aim of this study was to introduce a radiographic index to aid clinicians in determining the extent and severity of interproximal alveolar bone loss (iABL), in relation to individual root lengths, among patients suffering from periodontitis. A retrospective analysis of 50 anonymised dental panoramic tomograms (DPTs) of patients with periodontitis was conducted.<b> </b>Visual interpretation of iABL was recorded by a single investigator and by 20 volunteering clinicians for the ‘worst site’ in each quintet. Results were compared to a gold standard quantification method.<b> </b>Intra-examiner and inter-examiner agreement were measured using the Kappa coefficient and the intra-class correlation coefficient, respectively. Validity was assessed using Cramér’s V test.<i> </i>The mean intra-examiner agreement on the severity and pattern of iABL was 0.808 (<sub>K</sub>) and 0.802 (<sub>K</sub>), respectively. A stronger overall inter-examiner agreement was noted when the severity in contrast to the pattern of iABL and presence/absence of furcation involvement were analysed. The statistically significant total mean agreement values from this correlation coefficient were 0.892 and 0.739, respectively. A very strong association between all the visual interpretations carried out by all participants and the gold standard measurements was evident.<i> </i>Within the limitations of this study, the proposed radiographic index may serve as a simple, yet valid and reliable, adjunctive screening tool to further assist clinicians in determining the extent and severity of iABL in patients with periodontitis.
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