Nonsurgical and surgical periodontal therapy in single-rooted teeth

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

Oracy matters:Introduction to the special issue on oracy

Editorial to this special issue that is the first issue in the history of 20 years of the L1-Educational Studies in Language and Literature on Oracy. That might be an indication of the lack of research in L1-oracy. With this special issue we would like to stimulate other researchers in L1-Education to study oracy

Long-term effects of supportive therapy in periodontal patients treated with fibre retention osseous resective surgery. I: Recurrence of pockets, bleeding on probing and tooth loss

Background: Periodontal surgery is indicated in the treatment of persistent pockets following cause-related therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effect of supportive therapy in periodontal patients treated with fibre retention osseous resective surgery. Methods: Three-hundred and four consecutive patients were identified and retrospectively examined while presenting for a supportive periodontal care (SPC) appointment (T2). All had received non-surgical periodontal treatment and osseous resective surgery as needed, to obtain no sites with probing depth (PD) > 3 mm before being enrolled in the SPC programme. The mean SPC duration for the patients was 7.8 ± 3.2 years while the mean interval of SPC was 3.4 ± 0.8 months. Results: During SPC, a total of 67 teeth had been removed (0.9%). At T2, mean full-mouth plaque scores (FMPS) was 13 ± 11.3% and full-mouth bleeding scores (FMBS) was 2 ± 3%. In 98.5% of the sites, PD was minimal (≤3 mm). The majority of pockets at T2 showed PDs of 4-5 mm (83.4% of pockets). At the same time, the total number of pockets ≥6mm was 68 and limited to 41 patients (13.8% of sample). Initial periodontal diagnosis of severe periodontitis, smoking habits, FMBS, number of teeth at completion of active periodontal therapy (T1), number of surgically treated teeth, number of teeth with furcation involvement and number of multi-rooted teeth were associated with the number of pockets at T2. A total of 598 sites (2.1%) displayed bleeding on probing (BOP) at T2. The odds ratio of sites 4 mm or deeper to be BOP positive was 32.9 compared with sites of <3mm depth. Gender, FMBS, FMPS, furcation involvements and overall number of pockets were associated with the number of bleeding pockets at T2. Conclusion: Shallow PDs achieved by treatment of the persistent pockets by fibre retention osseous resective surgery can be maintained over time. These patients displayed minimal gingival inflammation and tooth loss during SPC. © 2007 Blackwell Munksgaard.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex