Effect of an oily calcium hydroxide suspension on early wound healing after nonsurgical periodontal therapy

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate clinically the effect of an oily calcium hydroxide suspension on early wound healing after nonsurgical periodontal therapy. A total of 19 patients with chronic periodontitis were enrolled in the study. Each subject had three sites in each of two contra-lateral jaw quadrants with a probing pocket depth (PPD) of > or =5 mm and bleeding on probing (BoP+). All teeth received scaling and root planing under local anesthesia followed by irrigation with sterile saline. An oily calcium hydroxide suspension (Osteoinductal) was applied subgingivally to the test sites at random. All sites were reexamined after 1, 2 [gingival index (GI) and BoP], and 3 weeks (GI, BoP, and PPD). Treatment success was defined as no signs of GI (GI=0), no BoP (BoP-), and pocket closure (PPD< or =4 mm). At all three different points in time, there were improvements in both GI and BoP at the control and test sites, which were in favor of the test therapy (p<0.05). For PPD change, no differences were found between the test and the control sites. The results of the study suggest that the topical application of an oily calcium hydroxide suspension (Osteoinductal), after nonsurgical periodontal therapy, improves early periodontal wound healing.