Root Coverage Esthetic Score After Treatment of Gingival Recession: An Interrater Agreement Multicenter Study

Background: The root coverage esthetic score (RES) system was proposed for evaluating esthetic outcomes of root coverage procedures. The aim of this multicenter study is to assess the interrater agreement of the RES among expert periodontists. Methods: Eleven periodontists were selected in different clinical centers. Each operator had >= 15years of experience in mucogingival surgery. Each periodontist was trained to use RES before the beginning of the study. Subsequently, baseline and post-treatment (6 months) photographs of 41 Class I and II gingival recessions in 41 patients were separately given to each operator who evaluated the outcomes according to the RES method. A two-way random interclass correlation coefficient and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to assess the global interrater agreement for RESs. Results: The total interrater agreement for RESs was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.88 to 0.95), which indicated that an almost perfect agreement was achieved. Conclusion: Tested individually by a group of periodontists, the RES seems to be a reliable method for assessing the esthetic outcomes of root coverage procedures. J Periodontol 2010;81:1752-1758.