Clinical Attachment Level
Also written as: CAL — Clinical Attachment Level
A periodontal measurement indicating the distance from the cementoenamel junction to the base of the periodontal pocket, used to quantify attachment loss.
Full Definition
Clinical attachment level (CAL) is considered the gold-standard measure of periodontal destruction, as it accounts for gingival recession or hyperplasia that can mask true pocket depth. When the gingival margin is at or coronal to the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), CAL equals probing depth plus recession. Editors must ensure CAL and probing depth (PD) are not used interchangeably in clinical manuscripts. The American Academy of Periodontology staging system (2017 classification) uses CAL thresholds to assign periodontal disease stages.
Usage
Usage note: Always expand on first use; distinguish from 'radiographic bone level', which is a separate measurement.
In Context
- "Stage III periodontitis was diagnosed based on a clinical attachment level loss of ≥5 mm at the interproximal sites." — Periodontal diagnosis report
- "The authors reported mean CAL gain of 1.8 mm in the test group following regenerative surgery." — Randomised controlled trial manuscript