Conventional Scaling And Root Planing Research Articles

Efficacy of Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy vs Conventional Scaling and Root Planing

ABSTRACT Background: This study compares the effectiveness of laser-assisted periodontal therapy (LAPT) to conventional scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of periodontal disease Materials and Methods: Patients with periodontal disease were divided into two groups. One group received LAPT, while the other group underwent conventional SRP. The periodontal parameters, including pocket depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL), were measured before and after the treatments. The data were statistically analyzed using appropriate methods. Results: After the treatments, the LAPT group showed a mean reduction in PD of 2.5 mm, while the conventional SRP group had a mean reduction of 2.0 mm. Additionally, the laser group demonstrated a mean improvement in CAL of 1.8 mm, whereas the conventional group showed an improvement of 1.3 mm. These differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05) Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that LAPT may be more effective in reducing PD and improving CAL compared with conventional SRP in the treatment of periodontal disease.

Efficacy of Laser-assisted Periodontal Therapy vs. Conventional Scaling and Root Planing.

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of laser-assisted periodontal therapy (LAPT) with conventional scaling and root planing (CSRP) in the treatment of periodontal disease. The objective was to assess the outcomes of these two treatments on a sample of 30 patients in each group. In this study, a total of 60 patients diagnosed with periodontal disease were divided into two groups: the LAPT group and the CSRP group, with 30 patients in each group. The LAPT group received periodontal treatment using laser therapy, while the SRP group underwent traditional SRP. The patients were evaluated for periodontal parameters, including probing depth and clinical attachment level before and after the treatments. After the treatment interventions, both the LAPT group and the CSRP group showed significant improvements in periodontal health. The mean reduction in probing depth was 2.5 mm in the LAPT group and 2.2 mm in the SRP group. In addition, the clinical attachment level increased by 2.8 mm in the LAPT group and 2.5 mm in the SRP group. Statistical analysis using the paired t-test demonstrated a P-value of less than 0.05, indicating the significance of these improvements in both groups. This study suggests that both LAP and CSRP are effective in improving periodontal health in patients with periodontal disease.

Five-year radiological findings from a randomized controlled trial of four periodontitis treatment strategies.

Radiographic findings from long-term studies of periodontitis treatment have rarely been reported. Although bone destruction is a prominent feature of periodontitis, the long-term effect on alveolar bone levels of different treatment strategies, with or without adjunctive metronidazole (MTZ), has not been reported. We investigated the 5-year radiographic outcome of therapy in patient groups treated with conventional scaling and root planing (SRP) or same-day full-mouth disinfection (FDIS), with or without adjunctive MTZ. Following a 3-month oral hygiene phase, 184 periodontitis patients were randomly allocated to one of four treatment regimens: (i) FDIS+MTZ; (ii) FDIS+placebo; (iii) SRP+MTZ; or (iv) SRP+placebo. Following active treatment, patients received biannual maintenance. In total, 161 patients (87.5%) completed the 5-year follow-up examination, at which the radiographic bone level (RBL), clinical attachment level, probing pocket depth, presence of plaque, and bleeding were recorded again. At the 5-year follow up examination, minor radiological bone loss was observed in the intervention groups FDIS+placebo, SRP+MTZ, and SRP+placebo; by contrast, the FDIS+MTZ group did not show any change in RBL. Full-mouth disinfection did not generally perform better than conventional SRP performed over a period of 2 to 4weeks.

An Umbrella Review on Low-Abrasive Air Powder Water Jet Technology in Periodontitis and Peri-Implantitis Patients

This umbrella review was conducted to assess the existing literature and scientific evidence on air powder water jet technology (APWJT) in periodontal and peri-implantitis therapy. A systematic literature search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the last decade on the use of APWJT in periodontitis and implant patients was performed in the databases of MEDLINE/Ovid, Embase, Cochrane library and Scopus. An additional hand search on PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted. Ten articles that fit the inclusion criteria were selected after the full-text screening. Two systematic reviews, including one with a meta-analysis, investigated the use of APWJT in active periodontal therapy. The use of APWJT as an adjunct to conventional scaling and root planing (SRP) in active periodontal treatment showed improved results in the test group. Six articles, including two with a meta-analysis, reported on the use of APWJT as a stand-alone therapy or as an adjunct in supportive periodontal therapy. Similarly significant improved results were reported for the use of APWJT. Regarding the active treatment of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis, four systematic reviews could not show an improved clinical outcome when APWJT was used as an adjunct to conventional treatment measures. Furthermore, one article investigated APWJT as a stand-alone therapy or as an adjunct in supportive peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis therapy. In systematic reviews that also investigated patient perception, APWJT was generally well-tolerated by the patient. Within the limitations of this umbrella review, it can be concluded that the use of APWJT with low-abrasive powders such as glycine, erythritol or trehalose as an adjunct in active periodontitis therapy shows similar clinical results compared to conventional SRP alone. In surgical peri-implantitis treatment, APWJT can be used adjunctively. It could be considered that the use of APWJT in supportive periodontal treatment results in a comparable clinical outcome and an enhanced patient perception, as well as a shorter clinical time.

Erbium-doped: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) versus scaling and root planing for the treatment of periodontal disease: A single-blinded split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

This randomized, controlled clinical trial aimed to compare the differences in periodontal clinical outcomes, duration of the procedure, and patient's experience between conventional scaling and root planing and erbium-doped: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) in the treatment of generalized moderate to severe chronic periodontitis or generalized Stages II or III, and Grade B periodontitis based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), and European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) definitions. Thirty subjects were initially recruited. In a split-mouth fashion, right and left sides were randomly allocated into two treatment arms: conventional scaling and root planing (C-SRP) versus laser-assisted scaling and root planing (L-SRP). A blinded examiner recorded clinical measurements at baseline and 3 months. Duration of the procedure was also recorded for each visit, and the patient's experience was assessed with a questionnaire at baseline, 1, and 3 months. The final sample consisted of 26 subjects. Both treatments resulted in overall improvement, but no significant differences were found between modalities for clinical attachment gain or probing depth reduction. The duration of the procedure was approximately half for L-SRP, and postoperative sensitivity was greater in C-SRP. The low-energy protocol with Er:YAG (50 mJ) used for the non-surgical treatment of moderate-severe chronic or Stage II-III, Grade B periodontitis performed in this study population was a treatment modality that yielded similar clinical improvements when compared to conventional scaling and root planing.

Ozone Gel in Chronic Periodontal Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial on the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ozone Application.

Simple SummaryThe search for new topical antimicrobial treatments represents an actual challenge both in orthopedics and in dentistry. As regards the latter, antiseptics represent an aid to the non-surgical treatment commonly employed to contrast periodontitis. This study aims to assess the efficacy of an ozone-based gel with respect to the more common chlorhexidine gels. Ten participants were treated by means of nonsurgical periodontal therapy, with, in addition, a chlorhexidine gel and an ozone one, both, respectively, used in half of the oral sites. Patients were visited at baseline, after one month, and after three months, and at each time point clinical indexes were assessed. This study revealed that the use of the ozonized gel in addition to the standard non-surgical therapy generally did not significantly differ if compared to the use of chlorhexidine. Based on this, ozone deserves consideration for its wide applicability in several clinical fields, especially considering the reduced number of shortcomings with respect to those generally related to chlorhexidine.The search for new topical treatments able to display not only antimicrobial properties but also a multiplicity of other beneficial effects while expressing safe cytocompatibility toward host tissues is being progressively developed. Antiseptics represent an aid to the gold standard nonsurgical treatment Scaling-and-Root-Planing (SRP) for periodontal disease. This split-mouth study aims to assess the efficacy of the ozonized gel GeliO3 (Bioemmei Srl, Vicenza, Italy) plus SRP (experimental treatment), with respect to SRP + chlorhexidine gel. Ten participants were treated with SRP + chlorhexidine gel (control sites) and with SRP + ozone gel (trial sites). After 1 (T1) and 3 months (T2) from baseline (T0), patients were revisited. At each time-point, the following indexes were assessed: probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and bleeding on probing (BoP). It has been assessed that the use of the ozonized gel in addition to SRP did not show significant differences if compared to conventional SRP + chlorhexidine. Chlorhexidine was found to be more effective than ozone in reducing CAL and GI at T2. Ozone deserves consideration for its wide applicability in several clinical fields. In this connection, we also glance at the latest research on ozone therapy.

Anti-Early Stage of Bacterial Recolonization Effect of Curcuma longa Extract as Photodynamic Adjunctive Treatment.

Objective To evaluate the amount of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and Prevotella intermedia (P. intermedia) on subgingival recolonized plaque after mechanical debridement and photodynamic treatment by using blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in combination with topical Curcuma longa gel extract. Methods A total of 12 subjects with stage III grade B periodontitis were recruited for the study. Maxillary posterior teeth with periodontal pocket >4 mm were selected. These teeth were examined for periodontal clinical data at baseline and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after treatment. All remaining teeth were treated by scaling and root planing (SRP). Then, the teeth were bilaterally divided using randomized split-mouth design with and without photodynamic adjunctive therapy (PDT). Samples of the subgingival microbiota were obtained in each visit. All samples were analyzed by multicolor TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of target bacteria. Results Throughout the six-week follow-up, long-term improvement of probing depth and bleeding on probing was revealed on the PDT group. The number of subgingival F. nucleatum and P. intermedia also significantly reduced, compared to the baseline. There was a statistically significant recolonization in F. nucleatum and P. intermedia number after 2 and 4 weeks of conventional SRP, respectively. Our quantitative PCR method showed no significant recolonization of those subgingival bacteria on PDT sites throughout the 6-week study duration. Conclusion The results showed that adjunctive photodynamic treatment by using blue LEDs in combination with topical Curcuma longa gel extract was effective to alter the recolonization patterns of F. nucleatum and P. intermedia after conventional debridement.

The application of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT, 670nm) and diode laser (940nm) as adjunctive approach in the conventional cause-related treatment of chronic periodontal disease: a randomized controlled split-mouth clinical trial.

The aim of the present randomized controlled split-mouth clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the adjunctive use of photodynamic low-level laser therapy (670nm), applying methylene blue as photosensitizer, and the effectiveness of a diode laser (940nm) compared with conventional non-surgical mechanical treatment in a group of patients with chronic periodontal disease. Twenty-one patients with moderate to severe periodontal disease with presence of 3 or more quadrants, each containing at least three sites with periodontal pocket depth (PPD) of ≥ 5mm, were included in the study. Periodontal treatment comprising scaling and root planing (SRP) was accomplished for the whole mouth. Applying a split-mouth design, each quadrant was randomly treated with SRP alone (control group), SRP with diode laser (diode group), and SRP with photodynamic therapy (photodynamic group). All treatment modalities in this study lead to statistically significant improvements in the evaluated clinical parameters at 3months and 6months compared with baseline. There was no statistically significant difference regarding PD and BOP between groups. There was only a tendency for greater reduction of PD in the diode group for deep pockets at 3months, but not statistically significant. After 6months of evaluation, the high intensity diode laser and the antimicrobial photodynamic therapy have not shown any additional benefits to the conventional periodontal treatment. The diode or photodynamic laser therapy in conjunction with conventional SRP does not seem to be superior in reducing probing depth and bleeding on probing than SRP alone 6months after treatment. More studies are necessary to prove the actual need of these types of lasers in the periodontal clinical practice.

Investigation of active matrix- metaloproteinase-8 (aMMP-8) as a reference parameter for path control in antimicrobial photothermal therapy (aPTT) using a split-mouth design

ObjectivesThis retrospective data-collection study aims to explain how the active matrix-metalloproteinase-8-titer (aMMP-titer) influences the immune response of the subject. This is done through monotherapy scaling and root planing (SRP) which is then compared to SRP combined with antimicrobial photothermal therapy (aPTT, Emundo®). MethodsData collection was monocentric, randomized and split-mouth based. A study group of twenty patients with chronic periodontal disease with a periodontal pocket depth (PPD) 4 mm ≤ PPD ≤8 mm, a periodontal screening index (PSI: > 3), and a gingival recession ≤2 mm were selected.A diode laser, manufactured by A.R.C. Laser GmbH, with 810 nm wavelength was used. This device implemented three different light transmission systems for transgingival and intra-gingival irradiation. Power settings between 200 and 300 mW were deployed for 10 s during all treatment steps. The photothermic dye of EmunDo® system (A.R.C. Laser GmbH) was infracyaningreen.The adjuvant effect of the antimicrobial photothermal therapy (aPTT) with EmunDo® in combination with conventional SRP on the teeth 15 and 35 was compared with the results of monotherapy SRP on teeth 25 and 45. ResultsA reduction of the aMMP-8-titer in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was observed in both groups (follow up group and control group) after one month. However; the decrease in the follow up group under SRP in combination with aPTT was significantly more pronounced. The periodontal pocket depths was reduced in both treatment groups. The periodontal probing depth (in mm) shows a larger decrease of the periodontal pocket depth within the follow up group (SPR with aPTT) compared with the control group (SRP). ConclusionThe aMMP-8-titer showed differences in both groups prior to and after treatment. Active matrix-metalloproteinase-8 (aMMP-8) as a reference parameter for path control in antimicrobial photothermal therapy (aPTT) seems acceptable.

Efficacy of Er:YAG laser on periodontitis as an adjunctive non-surgical treatment: A split-mouth randomized controlled study.

To evaluate the adjunctive efficacy of Er:YAG laser use with mechanical scaling and root planing (SRP) for non-surgical treatment of periodontitis. In a randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial, 27 patients were recruited. Using a split-mouth design, two quadrants were randomly allocated into either a test group or a control group. The test quadrants received Er:YAG laser (ERL; 100mJ/pulse; 15Hz to hard tissue and 50mJ/pulse; 30Hz to soft tissue) plus SRP treatment, while the control quadrants received SRP only. We evaluated periodontal indexes, including probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding index (BI), and plaque index (PLI) at baseline, 3months, and 6months. The PD and CAL means in the ERL+SRP group were significantly lower than those in the SRP group at 3-month follow-up (PD: 2.98±0.38mm vs. 3.09±0.35mm; CAL: 4.51±0.69mm vs. 4.72±0.67mm) and 6-month follow-up (PD: 2.91±0.31mm vs. 3.02±0.30mm; CAL: 4.52±0.65mm vs. 4.72±0.66mm; p=0.03 for both PD and CAL). There were no significant differences in BI and PLI between two groups. The Er:YAG laser treatment combined with conventional SRP significantly improved PD and CAL compared to SRP therapy alone; however, these differences were very small and, as a result, the adjunctive effect of Er:YAG laser is likely to be minimal clinically important.

Management of Severe Periodontal Abscesses Using a Laser and Light‐Emitting Diode Procedure Adjunctive to Scaling and Root Planing: A Case Series

Introduction: The current literature reports different treatment procedures for periodontal abscesses mainly based on empiricism, but an evidence‐based treatment of choice is still lacking. This case series shows the favorable results of a multilaser/light‐emitting diode (LED) treatment, termed photoablative‐photodynamic (PAPD) laser/LED therapy, adjunctive to scaling and root planing (SRP) for the management of acute periodontal abscesses.Case Series: Six patients underwent photoablation of the contaminated gingival epithelium by diode laser (λ 810 nm), irradiation with a λ 405‐nm LED, SRP, and repeated photodynamic treatments with 0.3% methylene blue activated with a λ 635‐nm diode laser to achieve antiseptic and anti‐inflammatory effects. Clinical examination and cytofluorescent analysis were used to evaluate the effects of this combined treatment. Subjective pain/discomfort was scored by a visual analog scale and questionnaire.Conclusion: Within the limitations of this case series, the present results indicate that the described PAPD laser/LED treatment performed in adjunct to conventional SRP can be a valuable approach to the treatment of acute periodontal abscesses because it is capable of accelerating periodontal healing while avoiding the use of local or systemic antibiotics and flap surgery.

Efficacy of Adjunctive Er, Cr:YSGG Laser Application Following Scaling and Root Planing in Periodontally Diseased Patients.

The application of laser as a monotherapy has been shown to reduce probing pocket depths and increase clinical attachment levels after treatment of patients suffering from chronic periodontitis. Its controversial use as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) is discussed. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of adjunctive Er, Cr:YSGG laser application following conventional SRP. A total of 30 patients with chronic periodontitis were enrolled in the study. The quadrants of each patient were allocated to either SRP or SRP + laser. A total of 3,654 sites with pocket depths ≥ 4 mm were treated and evaluated at 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively with respect to attachment gain. Both therapies resulted in improved probing pocket depths and clinical attachment levels. The adjunctive application of Er, Cr:YSGG laser following SRP did not improve probing pocket depth or attachment level compared with SRP alone.

Bactericidal Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy Against Periodontal Pathogens in Periodontal Disease: A Systematic Review.

The aim of this study was to assess the bactericidal efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic dynamic therapy (aPDT) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) against periodontal pathogens. SRP followed by laser therapy has better clinical outcomes than conventional SRP alone. The question addressed was "Does aPDT as an adjunct to SRP exhibit better bactericidal effect against periodontal pathogens than the use of SRP alone in periodontal disease?" MEDLINE(®)/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched from 1977 to December 2015, using different combinations of key words. Review articles, in vitro and experimental studies, and articles in languages other than English were excluded. Seventeen clinical studies were included. Laser wavelengths and duration of irradiation ranged between 470 and 810 nm and 60 and 300 sec, respectively. All studies showed that aPDT application was effective in reducing the counts of periodontal microbes at follow-up. Four studies showed significantly reduced bacterial counts for aPDT as an adjunct to SRP compared with SRP alone. Thirteen studies showed comparable reduction in the counts of periodontal bacteria when aPDT alone or as an adjunct to SRP was compared with SRP alone. The bactericidal efficacy of aPDT as an adjunct to SRP against periodontal pathogens in periodontal disease remains debatable.

The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment: a meta-analysis.

Background and ObjectivesAlthough low‐level laser therapy (LLLT) has been demonstrated to have a biomodulatory effect on periodontal tissue, no systematic review has exclusively addressed its effectiveness as an adjunct to non‐surgical periodontal treatment. This study aimed to evaluate whether an additional benefit exists for the application of LLLT compared with scaling and root planing (SRP) alone.Material and MethodsAn extensive search was conducted in the Cochrane Library (Issue 8, 2015), PubMed (1997) and EMBASE (1947) before August 2015 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The bias risk was assessed with the Cochrane tool for risk of bias evaluation. A meta‐analysis was performed using REVMAN 5.3.ResultsAfter independent screening of 354 initial records, eight publications (seven RCTs) were included. However, six were rated as ‘having a high risk of bias’ as a result of major methodological weakness in ‘allocation concealment’ and ‘blinding of key personnel’. Meta‐analysis showed that LLLT‐mediated SRP demonstrated significant short‐term benefits over SRP monotherapy in the improvement of the probing pocket depth (p = 0.0009 at 1 mo; p = 0.03 at 2 mo) and the level of interleukin‐1β in the gingival crevicular fluid (p = 0.01 at 1 mo). Nevertheless, LLLT failed to show significant additional intermediate‐term (3 and 6 mo) effects in terms of clinical parameters and alveolar bone density.ConclusionThese findings indicated that LLLT showed only short‐term additional benefits after conventional SRP. Its long‐term effects remain unclear due to substantial methodological weaknesses and an insufficient number of current studies. Future RCTs with better designs and longer follow‐up periods are required to assess the effectiveness of LLLT as an adjunctive treatment strategy in patients with periodontal disease.

The effect of indocyanine green-mediated photodynamic therapy as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in the treatment of chronic periodontitis: A comparative split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of adjunctive photodynamic therapy (PDT) (using 810 nm diode laser and Indocyanine green as photosensitizer) in chronic periodontitis. Patients with untreated chronic periodontitis were included. Treatment was done according to a split mouth design. All sites received periodontal treatment comprising scaling and root-planing (SRP). Test group were additionally treated with PDT. Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), Probing Pocket Depth (PPD) and Relative Attachment Level (RAL) were evaluated at baseline, 1 month and 3 months. Mean baseline values for PI, GI, PPD and RAL were not different in the test group and control group. Statistical significant difference in PPD and RAL, 3 months after treatment was seen in test group as compared to the control group. In patients with chronic periodontitis, clinical outcomes of conventional SRP can be improved by adjunctive PDT.

The effect of metronidazole on the presence of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia at 3 and 12 months after different periodontal treatment strategies evaluated in a randomized, clinical trial

Objective. The benefit of full-mouth disinfection (FDIS) over traditional scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of chronic, destructive periodontitis remains equivocal and it is not known whether the use of adjunctive antibiotics may enhance the effect of FDIS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of conventional SRP completed over 21 days or 1-day FDIS, with or without systemically delivered adjunctive metronidazole (MET) on the presence of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia after 3 and 12 months. Materials and methods. One hundred and eighty-four patients with moderate-to-severe periodontitis were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups; (1) FDIS+MET; (2) FDIS+placebo; (3) SRP+MET; (4) SRP+placebo. Prior to treatment, pooled subgingival samples were obtained from the five deepest pockets. The same sites were sampled again 3 and 12 months after treatment. All samples were analyzed for P. gingivalis and T. forsythia by PCR, whereas A. actinomycetemcomitans and other bacteria were identified by culture techniques. Results. At baseline, 47% of the samples were positive for P. gingivalis, while almost all samples were positive for T. forsythia. The occurrence of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia was significantly reduced at 3 and 12 months after treatment in the FDIS+MET group, but not in the other treatment groups. Conclusion. FDIS+MET had a significant effect in patients with P. gingivalis and T. forsythia, resulting in a significant reduction in number of patients where these micro-organisms could be detected at 3 and 12 months post-therapy.

Short-term effects of nonsurgical periodontal treatment with and without use of diode laser (980 nm) on serum levels of reactive oxygen metabolites and clinical periodontal parameters in patients with chronic periodontitis: a randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficiency of a diode laser as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of chronic periodontitis patients, and also to evaluate the changes in the clinical parameters such as clinical attachment level in teeth with periodontal pockets and blood reactive oxygen metabolites. A total of thirty patients (mean age 38.2 years) with chronic periodontitis were selected for this study. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups of 15 patients each, as the control group and test group. The control group received only conventional SRP and the test group received conventional SRP and diode laser (GaAlAs)-assisted pocket debridement. The clinical parameters (Plaque Index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment level) were recorded at baseline and day 60, and the serum levels of reactive oxygen metabolites were estimated at baseline, day 30, and day 60 for both the groups. When the groups were compared, there was statistically significant improvement in Plaque Index score, decrease in bleeding on probing and probing pocket depth, and gain in clinical attachment level (P < .001) in both the groups from baseline to day 60. There was significant reduction in reactive oxygen metabolites in both the groups from baseline to day 30 and day 60 (P < .001). However no statistically significant changes were present between the treatment groups from baseline to day 60 in terms of clinical parameters and blood reactive oxygen metabolites. From the results observed in this study it can be concluded that use of diode laser as an adjunct to SRP did not provide any significant difference compared to use of SRP alone in terms of clinical parameters and reactive oxygen metabolites.

A Randomized, Double‐Masked Clinical Trial Comparing Four Periodontitis Treatment Strategies: 1‐Year Clinical Results

The benefit of full-mouth disinfection (FDIS) over traditional scaling and root planing (SRP) remains equivocal, and it is not known whether the use of adjunctive antibiotics may enhance the effect of FDIS. The aim of the present study is to test the hypothesis that there is no difference in the 1-year clinical outcome of therapy among groups of patients treated with conventional SRP performed over 2 to 3 weeks, or same-day FDIS, with or without adjunctive metronidazole. A total of 184 patients with moderate-to-severe periodontitis were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups: 1) FDIS+metronidazole; 2) FDIS+placebo; 3) SRP+metronidazole; or 4) SRP+placebo. Recordings of plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were carried out in four sites per tooth at baseline and at 3 and 12 months after treatment. No differences were observed in the mean CAL or PD values between the four experimental groups at baseline and 3 or 12 months post-treatment. All four groups displayed significant improvements in all parameters. However, using absence of pockets ≥5 mm as the criterion for treatment success, the two groups receiving adjunctive metronidazole performed significantly better than the two placebo groups. Metronidazole had a significant, adjunctive effect in patients with a metronidazole-sensitive subgingival microbiota on the clinical parameters of CAL, PD, and absence of pockets ≥5 mm.

Nonsurgical Treatment of Periodontitis

Context. Scaling and root planing (SRP) is the gold standard treatment for most patients with chronic periodontitis. Nevertheless, in the last years, different therapeutic strategies have been proposed to improve the results of SRP and hence to avoid the need of periodontal surgical interventions in some patients with advanced periodontitis. They are based on modifications of standard therapies (such as enhancement of instrument tip designs), on development of new technologies (such as lasers), or development of alternative treatment protocols (eg, full-mouth disinfection). The purpose of this review is, therefore, to update the scientific evidence based on randomized clinical trials (RCT) evaluating these advanced nonsurgical therapies that have been published between January 2010 and March 2012.Evidence Acquisition. RCTs published between January 2010 and March 2012 have been selected. Previous systematic reviews were used as a start point. Three distinct aspects were evaluated independently: the modification of conventional instruments, the advent of new technologies, and the development of new treatment protocols.Evidence Synthesis. Twenty-two publications were selected: 4 were related to modifications of standard therapies (new tip designs and local anesthetics), 14 to new technologies (new ultrasonic devices, air abrasive systems, endoscope and lasers), and 4 to new treatment protocols.Conclusions. These technological advances and the development of new protocols may improve patient-related outcomes and cost-effectiveness, although they have not shown significant differences in efficacy when compared with conventional SRP.

A randomized clinical trial on the clinical and microbiological efficacy of a xanthan gel with chlorhexidine for subgingival use

The main indication of the adjunctive use of local antimicrobials lies around situations in which the outcome of non-surgical mechanical treatment results in a limited number of residual pockets. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of the subgingival application of a xanthan-based 1.5% chlorhexidine (CHX) gel (Xan-CHX), adjunctive to scaling and root planing (SRP) in localized periodontitis. Periodontitis patients with four to ten residual (after conventional SRP) or relapsing (during supportive periodontal treatment) pockets were recruited and randomized to receive SRP plus the subgingival application of (Xan-CHX) or SRP plus a placebo gel. Supragingival plaque, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level were evaluated with a computerized probe at baseline, and after 1, 3, and 6months. Subgingival samples were also collected for the microbiological analysis. Statistical analysis used ANOVA and chi-square tests. Overall, the clinical results were better in the test group, with significant changes in BOP (between baseline and 3months) and with a significant increase in the proportion of shallow pockets (1-3mm) at 6months. These results did not result in significant intergroup differences. The microbiological impact was limited in both treatment groups. The adjunctive use of Xan-CHX may improve, although to a limited extent, the clinical outcomes (BOP and PPD), in chronic periodontitis patients with "residual" or "relapsing" pockets, but no significant differences were detected between groups. No side effects, neither clinical nor microbiological, were detected after the use of the test product. Adjunctive use of slow-released chlorhexidine might be considered in the management of periodontal disease and gingival inflammation to reduce the need for periodontal surgery.