Radiographic evaluation of alveolar bone height in HIV-positive patients.

BACKGROUND: This prospective case-control study was performed to assess alveolar bone height in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. METHODS: Twenty-three HIV-positive patients, 16 men and 7 women, aged 24 to 40 years (mean age: 33 years), consecutively referred to the Dental Clinic, University of Ferrara, for clinical and radiographic assessment of oral conditions, were included in the study (test group). All patients had undergone laboratory evaluation to assess HIV-infection status and were classified according to CDC diagnostic criteria. Nineteen patients were intravenous drug abusers. Thirty-four HIV-negative subjects were matched for demographic characteristics and smoking status as a control group. Radiographic evaluation was based on panoramic radiography and bone measurements were limited to premolars and molars. Alveolar bone height was measured mesially and distally to each tooth and determined as the distance from the apex of the root to a point where the lamina dura became continuous with the compact bone of the interdental septum. Alveolar bone height was recorded as well as the ratio between alveolar bone height and tooth length. RESULTS: The results indicated a tendency for a difference in alveolar bone height between groups, lower in the test group compared to controls. However, this difference only reached statistical significance on a tooth-specific basis. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the results show a greater trend for alveolar bone loss of posterior teeth in HIV-positive patients compared to HIV-negative patients

Prevalence of bleeding on probing: a cohort study in a specialist periodontal clinic.

OBJECTIVES: to assess the prevalence and distribution of bleeding on probing (BoP) in a cohort of periodontally diseased patients, evaluate the influence of patient-related predictors on BoP variability, and characterize two subgroups of patients with a significantly different BoP score. METHOD AND MATERIALS: six hundred and one patients were retrospectively included. The percentage of BoP-positive sites was calculated for the entire dentition (%BoPtotal) and within different areas of the dentition. The influence of patient-related predictors on intersubject variability in %BoPtotal was evaluated. Two subgroups of patients, belonging to the lowest (LB, low bleeding) and highest (high bleeding, HB) quartile of patient distribution according to %BoPtotal, were identified. RESULTS: median %BoPtotal was 26.4%, with 99% of the population showing at least one BoP-positive site. %BoPtotal was positively correlated with patient age and number of sites with pocket probing depth (PPD) ⋝ 5 mm, and significantly more prevalent in mandibular vs maxillary sites, posterior vs anterior sites, interproximal vs oral/buccal sites, and sites with PPD ⋝ 5 mm vs PPD ⋜ 4 mm. LB and HB patients were significantly different for %BoPtotal, as well as in sites with PPD ⋜ 4 mm and PPD ⋝ 5 mm, but not for sex, age, smoking status, daily cigarette consumption, diabetic status, and number of sites with PPD ⋝ 5 mm. CONCLUSIONS: BoP was highly prevalent and variable in both patients and different areas of the dentition; patient-related factors and site-specific characteristics (such as age, number of periodontal pockets, probing depth, tooth type, and aspects) seem to be partly responsible for the individual variation in BoP; and HB and LB were not significantly different with respect to the investigated predictors

Effetti microbiologici della strumentazione meccanica ultrasonica.

OBJECTIVES. To evaluate the microbiological effects of mechanical instrumentation (SM) associated to self-administrated use of local antimicrobials (AmF/SnF 2) in periodontal patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Patients underwent single or multiple sessions of SM and were prescribed with AmF/SnF 2-containing toothpaste and mouthrinse for 12 weeks. Subgingival microflora was sampled before SM and 12 weeks after SM. RESULTS. 12-week after SM bacterial counts still exhibited a substantial reduction with respect to those before SM (Total Bacterial Count: - 70%; Total Pathogens: - 69%; Red Complex: - 75%; Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus) actynomicetemcomitans: - 94%). CONCLUSIONS. SM plus antimicrobial regimen induce a non-selective reduction of subgingival microbial flora, including periodontal pathogens bacteria, which persists after 3 months following treatment

Il metodo UniFe per la valutazione del rischio parodontale.

Objectives: Periodontitis progression varies widely among individuals, with or without treatment. Not all risk determinants for periodontitis are relevant for diagnosing the disease. The purpose of the present report is to present two cases, which show how a simplified method for periodontal risk assessment (UniFe), devised by the University of Ferrara’s Research Center for the Study of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases, can identify differences in periodontal risk among individuals with similarly severe periodontitis. Materials and methods: The UniFe method is described in detail, and its use is illustrated for calculating periodontal risk in two patients with similarly severe periodontitis. Results: Periodontal risk assessment with the UniFe method revealed different risk levels in the two patients although both had similarly severe disease. The UniFe method revealed that the poorer prognosis in one of the patients was due to exposure to environmental risk factors (i.e., smoking) and a higher prevalence of gingival bleeding. Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest that the UniFe method is a simple and reliable tool for periodontal risk assessment and that it can identify differences in periodontal risk among individuals with periodontitis of similar severity

Effetti clinici e microbiologici della strumentazione parodontale non-chirurgica in associazione alla somministrazione di un preparato a base di ialuronato di sodio e aminoacidi in pazienti fumatori e non-fumatori affetti da parodontite.

Background: L’approccio di elezione per la prevenzione primaria e secondaria della parodontite è rappresentato dalla terapia parodontale non chirurgica (NSPT). Ad oggi, diversi studi hanno suggerito che l’ esposizione al fumo possa influenzare negativamente gli esiti della NSPT. Recentemente, è stato osservato come la somministrazione di una associazione di aminoacidi (leucina, glicina, prolina, lisina) e acido ialuronico veicolata da un gel (Aminogam®; ERREKAPPA EUROTERAPICI S.p.A., Milano, Italia) possa influenzare positivamente il processo di guarigione dei tessuti gengivali. Non sono, ad oggi, disponibili informazioni in merito agli effetti di tale preparato sugli esiti della NSPT, in particolare quando sono presenti condizioni, come l’esposizione al fumo, che possono influenzare negativamente il processo di guarigione. Background: Il presente studio è stato eseguito al fine di valutare gli esiti clinici e microbiologici della NSPT in associazione ad Aminogam® in pazienti forti fumatori e non-fumatori affetti da parodontite. Materiali & Metodi: 6 pazienti forti fumatori e 13 pazienti non fumatori sono stati arruolati nel presente studio e hanno completato la fase sperimentale. Ciascun paziente è stato sottoposto ad una seduta di NSPT full-mouth, seguita dall’applicazione professionale di Aminogam® mediante irrigazioni sub-gengivali in un quadrante mascellare. Nei sette giorni successivi alla seduta professionale sono state prescritte applicazioni topiche domiciliari di Aminogam®. Al baseline e a distanza di 30 e 90 giorni dalla seduta professionale, sono stati valutati i parametri clinici e microbiologici di interesse sperimentale. Risultati: Nei limiti del presente studio, i risultati suggeriscono che una seduta di NSPT eseguita con strumenti meccanici ultrasonici in associazione alla somministrazione professionale e domiciliare di un preparato a base di ialuronato di sodio e aminoacidi (Aminogam®) (i) risulta in un guadagno di attacco clinico e una riduzione della profondità di sondaggio a distanza di 30 giorni dalla strumentazione; (ii) non altera in modo significativo la carica batterica totale e le conte dei patogeni parodontali a distanza di 30 e 90 giorni dalla strumentazione, e (iii) ha effetti clinici e microbiologici sovrapponibili in pazienti forti fumatori e non-fumatori. Conclusioni: Quando associata alla somministrazione professionale e domiciliare di Aminogam®, la NSPT sembra determinare effetti clinici e microbiologici simili in pazienti forti fumatori e non-fumatori affetti da parodontite