Nonsurgical and surgical periodontal therapy in single-rooted teeth. (25/116)

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of tooth related and patient related factors on the success of non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapy. In 41 patients (22 female) with untreated and/or recurrent periodontitis, no therapy, scaling and root planing (SRP), or access flap (AF) were assigned according to probing pocket depth (PPD). PPD and vertical relative attachment level (RAL-V) were obtained initially, 3 and 6 months after therapy. Baseline data were compared according to therapy, jaw, tooth type, and site. Factors influencing clinical parameters were identified using multilevel analyses. Baseline PPDs were deeper interproximally, in the maxilla and at premolars compared to buccal/oral sites, mandibular, and anterior teeth. At 6 months, PPD reduction and RAL-V gain were significantly greater at sites receiving SRP and AF as compared to untreated sites (p < 0.001). PPD reduction and RAL-V gain were significantly less (p < 0.005) in smokers as compared to nosmokers and at interproximal sites (p < 0.0001) as compared to buccal/oral sites. RAL-V gain was less in aggressive periodontitis, and PPD reduction was less in the maxilla (p < 0.001). In sites with greater bone loss and infrabony defects, a poorer response was observed regarding RAL-V gain or PPD reduction, respectively. The conclusions of the study are the following: (1) Nonsurgical and surgical periodontal therapies are effective in single-rooted teeth; (2) severe interproximal bone loss and infrabony defects deteriorate clinical results; and (3) there seem to be more defect-associated (tooth, site) factors influencing treatment outcome than patient-associated factors.  (+info)

Effects of egg yolk antibody against Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipains in periodontitis patients. (26/116)

Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipains is suspected to be one of the most important causative agents of periodontitis. We postulated that the inhibition of gingipains may reduce the pathogenic nature of P. gingivalis. Anti-P. gingivalis egg yolk antibody (IgY-GP) was isolated from the yolks of hens immunized with purified gingipains. We applied IgY-GP gel subgingivally in periodontitis patients who harbored P. gingivalis in their subgingival flora. Five pairs of contralateral anterior single-rooted teeth were selected. One tooth in each contralateral pair was randomly treated with IgY-GP and subgingival scaling and root planing, whereas the other tooth was treated with SRP alone. The number of P. gingivalis bacteria was assessed by real-time PCR. Bacterial levels were expressed as the percentage of total bacteria. The IgY-GP group had a significant reduction in probing depth. BOP significantly decreased in the IgY-GP group compared to the control group at week 4. The levels of P. gingivalis significantly increased in the control group at week 4, whereas the reduction in the levels of P. gingivalis was sustained in the IgY-GP group. Within the limitations of the present study, IgY-GP was shown to be an effective immunotherapeutic agent in the treatment of periodontitis.  (+info)

Microbiological evaluation of the effects of hyperbaric oxygen on periodontal disease. (27/116)

The term periodontitis indicates a variety of clinical manifestations of infectious disorders in which the supporting tissues of the teeth are attacked. The initiation and progression of periodontal disease are attributed to the presence of elevated levels of pathogenic bacteria within the gingival crevice. Approaches to periodontal treatment range from surgical to regenerative therapy and anti-infective chemotherapy. Anti-infective drug therapy should be rationally based on the composition of the pathogenic microbiota. It is also important to recognize that the periodontopathic plaque constitutes a bacterial biofilm infection that may render the resident microorganisms more resistant than the same organisms grown planktonically. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) has been successfully used in several medical applications. The therapeutic effect is related to elevated partial oxygen pressure in the tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of HBO on a selected number of patients suffering from adult chronic periodontitis in comparison with surgical intervention (scaling and root planning, SRP), as well as the effects of a combination of both therapies on the evolution over time of the microflora of the periodontal pockets. Bacteria were detected either by culture or by a molecular method (PCR). Microbiological data indicate that the combination of HBO and SRP substantially reduced (by up to 99.9%) the gram-negative anaerobe loads of the subgingival microflora. The low values of pathogens persisted for at least two months after the therapy. HBO or SRP alone produced a temporarily more limited effect on periodontal anaerobes. Additional experimental confirmation of these results was provided by molecular detection of the main periodontopathogenic bacteria with a significant reduction in the number of dental sites which harboured them. It is also shown that HBO both alone and in combination with SRP reduced the Gingival Index value to zero and gingival health persisted for 3 months at least. Thus, in parallel with the loss of periodontopathogenic bacteria, a substantial improvement in oral health was observed. In conclusion, this study has shown that HBO may represent a useful aid, especially in combination with SRP, as far as non-surgical periodontal therapy is concerned.  (+info)

Dental bioaerosol as an occupational hazard in a dentist's workplace. (28/116)

Many-year studies on aerosols as an infection vector, despite their wide range, ignored dental aerosol. All procedures performed with the use of dental unit handpieces cause the formation of aerosol and splatter which are commonly contaminated with bacteria, viruses, fungi, often also with blood. Aerosols are liquid and solid particles, 50 microm or less in diameter, suspended in air. Splatter is usually described as a mixture of air, water and/or solid substances; water droplets in splatter are from 50 microm to several millimetres in diameter and are visible to the naked eye. The most intensive aerosol and splatter emission occurs during the work of an ultrasonic scaler tip and a bur on a high-speed handpiece. Air-water aerosol produced during dental treatment procedures emerges from a patient's mouth and mixes with the surrounding air, thus influencing its composition. Because air contained in this space is the air breathed by both dentist and patient, its composition is extremely important as a potential threat to the dentist's health. According to the author, insufficient awareness of health risk, working habits, and economic factors are the reasons why dentists do not apply the available and recommended methods of protection against the influence of bioaerosol and splatter. Behaviour protecting a dentist and an assistant from the threat resulting from the influence of dental aerosol cannot be limited to isolated actions. The author, on the basis of the literature and own research, characterizes bioaerosol and splatter in a dental surgery and reviews a full range of protective measures against these risk factors.  (+info)

Kindler syndrome and periodontal disease: review of the literature and a 12-year follow-up case. (29/116)

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The role of hospital-based dentistry in providing treatment for persons with developmental delay. (30/116)

Hospital dentistry is important to the delivery of oral health care to persons with disabilities. Recent cuts in funding for hospital dentistry in Ontario have placed a great strain on the health care system"s ability to meet the demand for such care. General anesthesia is an accepted treatment option for patients who are uncooperative, but involves inherent risks. In this paper, we present the case of a person with developmental delay who received dental treatment under general anesthesia and subsequently developed complications to support the position that a dental program for persons with special needs should be provided in a hospital setting to minimize their risk of suffering serious complications and to ensure their safety.  (+info)

Treatment of intrabony periodontal defects with enamel matrix derivative in private practice: a long-term retrospective study. (31/116)

The present study describes treatment of intrabony periodontal defects with enamel matrix derivative (EMD) in private practice. Ten patients with clinical diagnosis of chronic periodontitis were subjected to data analysis. A total of 18 teeth with various osseous defects received regenerative therapy with EMD, and were followed for a minimum of 2 years. Treatment of the intrabony defects with EMD led to a statistically significant improvement in the mean value of probing depth at 1-year when compared with at the baseline (p<0.01). Reduction in probing depth was achieved with minimal recession of the gingival margin, and was maintained over the 2-year observation period with no significant change. Mean values of attachment gain at 1 and 2 years were of clinical significance: 3.39+/-1.46 mm and 3.22+/-1.40 mm, respectively. Although one tooth was extracted because of subsequent loss of attachment and bone, most teeth treated have been successfully maintained for 2 to 7 years with no significant signs of disease progression. In conclusion, EMD treatment of intrabony osseous defects yielded clinically favorable responses. The gain in clinical attachment can be longitudinally maintained in a private practice setting. Further controlled studies are needed to elucidate the clinical significance of EMD treatment.  (+info)

A double-blind randomized clinical trial of subgingival minocycline for chronic periodontitis. (32/116)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, E. corrodens and F. nucleatum in 30 subjects with chronic periodontitis treated by scaling and root planing (SRP) plus minocycline (test group) during 12 months with regular trimester maintenance care. Additionally, we evaluated whether the beneficial effects of the therapy on the microbial flora persisted for 24 months. The test group (n = 15) and the control group [SRP plus placebo (n = 15)] were randomly assigned. After SRP, subjects received minocycline or placebo at the baseline, and at 3, 6, and 9 months at all sites with a periodontal pocket depth (PD) of >or= 6 mm. Moreover, two homologous teeth, initially PD >or= 6 mm, were clinically and microbially monitored by PCR at the baseline, and at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 months. Differences in mean PD values between groups were analyzed by Student's t-test (P < 0.05). The results for bacterial frequencies showed no significant differences between groups (Fisher's Exact test, P < 0.05) or between time-points (Friedman test, P < 0.05). We failed to detect any differences between groups related to the presence of target pathogens for 12 months. The effects of both therapies on the microbial flora did not persist for 24 months. The group without supportive periodontal therapy showed an improvement in the pattern of pathogens with either of the therapies.  (+info)