Factors Affecting Patients' Atttendance for Periodontal Follow-up Visits after Crown Lengthening Surgery.

PURPOSE: To assess adherence to follow-up maintenance visits among patients who had previously undergone crown-lengthening surgery and investigate the different factors impacting their compliance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 314 patients were identified for follow-up appointments. Based on their responses, participants were categorised into four groups: attendees, non-attendees, refusals, and unreachable. Furthermore, data on sociodemographic factors (age, sex, nationality, marital status, education, occupation, and residential area), medical history, dental history (including missing teeth, implants, or orthodontic treatment history), and past appointment attendance (average yearly appointments, missed appointment percentage, and last appointment date) were collected and analysed to understand their influence on patient compliance. RESULTS: In a sample of 314 patients, 102 (32.5%) attended the appointments successfully. Improved attendance rates were significantly associated with being female, Saudi Arabian, married, and employed (p < 0.05). Moreover, patients with a high frequency of annual appointments and a recent history of appointments exhibited better compliance. None of the analysed dental factors affected the attendance rates. CONCLUSION: About one-third of patients who had undergone crown lengthening surgery were compliant with the follow-up visits. Different factors influenced this compliance pattern to varying extents, with more efforts needed to enhance patients' commitment to these visits.

Impact of smoking on cost-effectiveness of 10-48 years of periodontal care.

The study aims were (1) to explore whether "periodontal treatment" consisting of surgical therapy (flap, resective, or regenerative) or scaling and root planing treatment with long-term periodontal maintenance treatment, is cost-effective in terms of preventing periodontitis-attributable tooth extraction and replacement by implant-supported crowns ("extraction/replacement"); (2) to assess the effect of cigarette smoking on this cost-effectiveness. Data for this observational retrospective study were collected from dental charts of patients who had received periodontal therapy and at least annual follow-up visits for >10 years were analyzed by linear regression generalized estimating equations and generalized linear models. Among 399 adults (199 males, 200 females), those with the least mean annual treatment cost experienced the greatest mean annual costs for extraction/replacement, indicating general cost-effectiveness. Cigarette smoking adversely impacted this cost-effectiveness, with current heavy smokers experiencing no cost-effectiveness. Former smokers with Grade C periodontitis benefitted most, whereas smoking did not influence cost-effectiveness for Grade B periodontitis. Assessed by mean annual costs of "extraction/replacement," periodontal treatment was cost-effective, which decreased in a dose-response manner by former and current smoking intensity. Cigarette smoking should be factored into treatment planning and cost-effective analyses of periodontal treatment. Smoking cessation should be encouraged.

The survival of periodontally treated molars in long-term maintenance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the survival of periodontally treated molars during maintenance care and identify the risk factors associated with molar loss among patients with periodontitis who received professional periodontal therapy and maintenance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Longitudinal studies with a minimum follow-up duration of 5 years published until 28 August 2023 were retrieved from the following databases: the Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE and Web of Science. All included studies reported data on molar retention. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4. A modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the study quality. Statistical results of analyses of the overall survival rate and molar loss are presented as estimated standardized mean differences, whereas the results of the analyses of risk factors are presented as risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). RESULTS: From among the 1323 potentially eligible reports, 41 studies (5584 patients, 29,908 molars retained at the beginning of maintenance therapy, mean follow-up duration of 14.7 years) were included. The pooled survival rate of the molars during maintenance therapy was 82% (95% CI: 80%-84%). The average loss of molars was 0.05 per patient per year (95% CI: 0.04-0.06) among the patients receiving long-term periodontal maintenance (PM) therapy. Fifteen factors were examined in this meta-analysis. Six patient-related factors (older age, lack of compliance, smoking, bruxism, diabetes and lack of private insurance) and five tooth-related factors (maxillary location, high probing pocket depth, furcation involvement, higher mobility and lack of pulpal vitality) were identified as risk factors for molar loss during maintenance therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study suggest that the long-term retention of periodontally compromised molars can be achieved. The average number of molars lost per decade was <1 among the patients receiving long-term PM therapy. Older age, noncompliance, smoking, bruxism, diabetes, lack of private insurance coverage, maxillary location, furcation involvement, higher mobility, increase in the probing pocket depth and loss of pulpal vitality are strong risk factors for the long-term prognosis of molars.

The effects of scaling and root planing plus home oral hygiene maintenance in Stage I/II periodontitis population: A 24-week randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of powered and manual toothbrushing following scaling and root planing on bleeding on probing and other clinical indicators of periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a randomized, examiner-blind, parallel-design, 24-week clinical study. Eligible subjects were 18-75 years of age with Stage I or II periodontitis. All subjects received scaling and root planing (SRP) within 28 days of enrollment. Thereafter, subjects were randomized to twice daily at-home use of either a powered toothbrush (PTB) or a manual toothbrush (MTB). Randomization was balanced for gender and periodontitis stage. No other oral hygiene aids were permitted. Subjects were evaluated every 4 weeks for the following measures: bleeding on probing (BOP), surface plaque (MPI), probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level until Week 24. RESULTS: Of 328 randomized subjects, 299 subjects completed the study. For BOP at Week 24, the Least Squares (LS) Mean, standard error (SE) reduction from baseline was 0.24 (0.01) for the PTB group and 0.02 (0.01) for the MTB group, resulting in a statistically significant treatment difference of 0.22 (0.01), p-value < 0.0001. There were also concomitant reductions in MPI and PPD at Week 24, resulting in statistically significant (p-value < 0.0001) LS Mean (SE) treatment differences of 0.86 (0.04) and 0.24 (0.01), for MPI and PPD, respectively. CONCLUSION: When combined with SRP, daily home oral hygiene maintenance including a powered toothbrush significantly reduced clinical symptoms of periodontitis and surface plaque levels compared to a manual toothbrush in a Stage I/II periodontitis population. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04254770).

Is Periodontal and Peri- Implant Disease Associated with Fixed Partial Denture Use? A 25-year Prospective Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: The association of the periodontium with the fixed prosthesis is the basis of prosthetic rehabilitation. This prospective case series aimed to evaluate periodontal health through the relation between periodontal/peri-implant disease progression and the use of fixed partial dentures (FPDs). METHODS: Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival index (GI), and plaque index (PI) on either teeth or implants were evaluated at up to 25-year follow-up and compared with the baseline. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier test (p⟨0.05). RESULTS: The prospective evaluation showed that the patients maintained adequate periodontal health. Failure (severe periodontal stages) occurred in 12.5% of patients. The survival rate for 107 teeth/implants was 80.48%. The comparisons for clinical parameters revealed no statistically significant difference (p⟩ 0.05). At T1, the measurements for anterior and posterior regions, respectively, were PD =2.7mm and 3.1mm; CAL= 3.3mm and 3.6mm; GI=0.5 (both regions); and PI=0.79 and 0.62. Periodontal/peri-implant disease progression did not relate to the use of prostheses. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with more frequent follow-up appointments and lower GI and PI showed periodontal health for longer periods. Patients with different oral hygiene levels present different periodontal disease progression. Periodic hygiene control and motivation are vital factors for extensive oral rehabilitation success.

Periodontal Maintenance in a Patient with a Lung Transplantation Post-COVID-19 Infection.

Early dental screening and treatment before and after solid organ transplantation are recommended infection prophylaxis measures. Dental treatment after transplantation should only be rendered after a discussion with the patient's health-care provider and/or transplant surgeon to determine the patient's stability for dental care. Potential sources of acute or chronic oral infections should be evaluated at every visit. Periodontal evaluation and through dental prophylaxis should be performed. Oral hygiene instruction including the importance of maintaining excellent oral health after transplant should be reviewed.

Risk factors for tooth loss and progression of periodontitis in patients undergoing periodontal maintenance therapy.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate patient- and tooth-level factors that may predict tooth loss and periodontitis progression in patients who have undergone at least 5 years of periodontal maintenance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 135 patients were examined after active periodontal therapy (APT) and periodontal maintenance for 5.09-8.65 years (mean 6.16 ± 0.74 years). Regression models were applied to identify risk factors associated with tooth loss and disease progression. RESULTS: Stage IV periodontitis (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 4.61; 95% confidence interval, CI [2.97-7.18], p < .001), the presence of ≥5 sites with probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥5 mm at the end of APT (IRR = 2.04; 95% CI [1.32-3.20], p < .01), and residual PPD ≥7 mm at the end of APT (odds ratio [OR] = 3.01; 95% CI [1.14-7.94], p < .05) were risk factors for tooth loss. Residual PPDs of 5 mm (OR = 2.02; 95% CI [1.20-3.40], p < .01) and 6 mm (OR = 2.41; 95% CI [1.22-4.76], p < .05) at the end of APT were risk factors for disease progression. Above 3 mm, each 1 mm increase in maximum PPD/clinical attachment loss was associated with an increased risk of tooth loss and disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Stage IV periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of tooth loss. Teeth with PPD ≥5 mm at the end of APT are at risk of periodontitis progression or tooth loss.

Waistline to gumline: a retrospective analysis of body mass index in treated periodontitis patients undergoing periodontal maintenance therapy.

Periodontal disease affects 42% of adults in the United States. Both the periodontal microbiome and the host immune inflammatory response may be influenced by overweight/obesity status. This retrospective analysis sought to determine the associations of periodontal disease parameters with body mass index (BMI) and obesity status in patients undergoing periodontal maintenance therapy. The records of 418 patients who were undergoing periodontal maintenance after periodontitis treatment were examined, and the patients' demographic characteristics (sex, age, and race/ethnicity), self-reported BMI, periodontal disease condition, number of sites with probing depth ≥ 4 mm, missing teeth, and sites with bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded. Patients were determined to have active moderate to severe periodontitis if they presented with 2 or more sites in 2 different quadrants with clinical attachment loss ≥ 5 mm and probing depth ≥ 5 mm. Individuals were also categorized into 3 groups: underweight/normoweight, BMI < 25; overweight, BMI 25 ≤ 30; or obese, BMI ≥ 30. In the study population, BMI ranged from 16.827 to 51.389. The periodontitis status was not significantly associated with a BMI status of overweight (odds ratio [OR] = 1.388 [95% CI, 0.961- 2.006]) or obese (OR = 1.168 [95% CI, 0.77-1.757]). Female sex (OR = 0.561 [95% CI, 0.343-0.918]) and age (OR = 0.983 [95% CI, 0.967-0.999]) were negatively associated with active periodontitis status. Obese patients demonstrated significantly more sites with BOP than either underweight/normoweight or overweight patients, and a BMI indicating obesity was associated with increasing age (P < 0.001) and higher number of missing teeth (P = 0.0064). In a population of patients undergoing periodontal maintenance therapy, BMI was associated with age and missing teeth, and obese status was associated with a significantly higher number of sites with BOP.

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy in Residual Periodontal Pockets during the Maintenance Phase.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (a-PDT) in combination with scaling root planing (SRP) is more effective at improving periodontal status than SRP alone. However, the effectiveness of a-PDT in combination with irrigation for patients undergoing periodontal maintenance has not been clarified. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a-PDT in the maintenance phase. Patients who had multiple sites with bleeding on probing (BOP) and periodontal probing depth (PPD) of 4-6 mm in the maintenance phase were treated with a split-mouth design. These sites were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the a-PDT group and the irrigation group. In the a-PDT group, the periodontal pockets were treated with light-sensitive toluidine blue and a light irradiator. In the irrigation group, the periodontal pockets were simply irrigated using an ultrasonic scaler. After 7 days, the safety and efficacy of a-PDT were assessed. The mean PPD of the a-PDT group had reduced from 4.50 mm to 4.13 mm, whereas negligible change was observed in the irrigation group. BOP significantly improved from 100% to 33% in the PDT group, whereas it hardly changed in the irrigation group. No adverse events were observed in any patients. a-PDT may be useful as a noninvasive treatment in the maintenance phase, especially in patients with relatively deep periodontal pocket.

Clinical and microbiological effects of a single application of sodium hypochlorite gel during subgingival re-instrumentation: a triple-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the clinical and microbiological effects of a single subgingival administration of sodium hypochlorite gel (NaOCl) and compare it with 1% chlorhexidine (CHX) gel and a placebo gel following mechanical re-instrumentation during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two patients who had been treated for stage III-IV periodontitis and enrolled in SPT were included in the study based on following criteria: (1) active periodontal therapy completed at least 6 months before enrollment in the study, (2) presence of at least 4 non-adjacent sites with probing pocket depths (PPDs) ≥ 4 mm with bleeding on probing (BOP), or presence of 5-8 mm PPDs with or without BOP. All sites presenting PPD ≥ 4 mm and BOP at baseline and 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-up timepoints were subgingivally re-instrumented with ultrasounds. Selected patients were randomly assigned into three groups and treated additionally with a single subgingival administration of NaOCl gel (group A); 1% CHX gel (group B); and placebo gel (group C). Main outcome variable was pocket closure at 12 months. Secondary outcome variables were changes in mean PPD, BOP, and clinical attachment level (CAL) along with changes in the numbers of the following five keystone bacterial pathogens: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Prevotella intermedia (P.i.), Tannerella forsythia (T.f.), and Treponema denticola (T.d.). RESULTS: At 12 months, pocket closure was obtained in 77.5% in the NaOCl treated sites. The reduction in PPD was higher with CHX than with NaOCl, although a statistically significant adjunctive effect for NaOCl (P = 0.028) was only observed in comparison with placebo only. Mean CAL improved in all groups and at all timepoints, compared to the baseline (P < 0.05). However, after 6 months, CAL gain was statistically significantly higher in the NaOCl treated group than following application of CHX (P = 0.0026). CONCLUSION: In SPT patients, a single adjunctive use of a NaOCl gel may provide benefits in controlling inflammation and residual pockets. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Registry of Clinical Trials (ISRCTN11387188). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A baseline single application of NaOCl gel in conjunction with mechanical debridement may achieve substantial pocket closure in patients enrolled in SPT; treatment time, cost, and applicability considerations should be taken into account when selecting this therapy.

Effect of repeated ultrasonic instrumentation on single-unit crowns: a laboratory study.

OBJECTIVES: This laboratory study aimed to assess the effects of ultrasonic instrumentation, simulating 10 years of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT), on single-unit crowns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standardized crowns were fabricated from porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) (n = 12), zirconia (ZrO2) (n = 12), lithium disilicate (LDS) (n = 12), feldspar ceramic (FSFC) (n = 6), and polymer-infiltrated ceramic network material (PICN) (n = 6). The crowns, luted on PICN abutments with resin-based luting material (RBLM), and if applicable glass ionomer cement (GILC), underwent thermal cycling and trimonthly ultrasonic instrumentation. After 1 and 10 years of simulated SPT, restoration quality assessments were performed, comprising profilometric surface roughness measurements, marginal integrity evaluations, and scores for luting material remnants and visible cracks. The statistical analysis included multiple logistic regressions with nested designs (α = 0.05). RESULTS: During simulated SPT, bulk fractures (n = 2) and a de-cementation failure (n = 1) of LDS and ZrO2 crowns were observed. No significant change in roughness was detected after 10 years (p = 0.078). Over time, marginal defects increased (p = 0.010), with PFM crowns showing the highest rate of chippings at sites with a narrow shoulder. Fewer marginal defects were detectable on crowns luted with RBLM compared with GILC (p = 0.005). Luting material remnants decreased during SPT (p < 0.001). Ultrasonic instrumentation caused cracks in most crown materials, in particular at sites with a narrow shoulder and in PFM crowns. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated ultrasonic instrumentation may damage single-unit crowns. PFM crowns with a narrow, all-ceramic margin are especially prone to defects. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Frequent ultrasonic instrumentation of restoration margins of fixed dental prostheses, PFM crowns in particular, ought to be avoided.

Clinical efficacy of single and multiple applications of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in periodontal maintenance: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: At present the clinical efficacy of single (S) versus multiple (M) applications of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is controversially discussed. AIM: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of adjunctive S and M applications of aPDT to subgingival debridement (SD) in the treatment of residual periodontal pockets. METHODS: An electronic search was carried out for randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) reporting on SD with the adjunctive use of S- or M-aPDT applications. RESULTS: Statistically significantly higher improvement in bleeding on probing (BOP) and probing depth (PD) reduction was found for SD + S-aPDT versus SD, with Mean difference (MD) = -16.8 (95% CI: -30.7 to -2.91; p = 0.02) and 0.4, (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.78, p = 0.04), respectively. Regarding BOP, there was also a statistically significant difference when SD + M-aPDT was compared with SD alone, with a MD of -5.13 (95% CI: -7.20 to -3.07; p < 0.00001). For all parameters, SD + S-aPDT demonstrated the best treatment ranking of probability results, followed by SD + M-aPDT and SD alone. CONCLUSIONS: Within their limits, the present data indicate that in periodontal patients enrolled in maintenance: a) single and multiple adjunctive applications of aPDT following SD resulted in statistically significant BOP reduction compared to SD alone, and b) repeated applications of aPDT did not seem to result in superior outcomes compared to single applications.

Maintenance visit regularity has a different impact on periodontitis-related tooth loss depending on patient staging and grading.

AIM: To assess whether maintenance variables have a differential effect on tooth loss due to periodontitis (TLP) based on staging and grading. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients treated for periodontitis for a minimum of ≥10 years follow-up were included and categorized according to their stage and grade at baseline. Impact of number, regularity, and pattern of supportive periodontal therapy visits (SPT) on TLP was explored by dividing teeth into test (5 year time periods prior to TLP events) and control groups (random 5 year periods without tooth loss). RESULTS: The regularity of maintenance visits, but not the overall quantity, had a significant impact on risk of TLP and showed higher importance as staging and grading increased (larger impact for stages III/IV and grade C). The minimum threshold of visits below which the risk of TLP was equivalent to that of the control group was one visit every 7.4 months for stages I-II, 6.7 months for stage III-IV, 7.2 months for grade B and 6.7 months for grade C. This frequency should be increased for former and current smokers, diabetics and elderly patients. Stage III and IV patients who skip more than 1 year of maintenance in a 5 year period have an increased risk of TLP (OR = 2.55) compared to those only miss 1 year. A similar trend was noted for grade C patients, but not for stages I/II or grades A/B. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of SPT regularity and missing multiple years of maintenance had a larger influence on risk of TLP for higher-level staging and grading.

Use of alternative communication with pictures for outpatient periodontal treatment in fragile X syndrome patients.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the clinical management and behavior during periodontal treatment in two patients with fragile X syndrome (FXS) using alternative communication with pictures (ACP). Both patients had a history of previous dental care only possible under general anesthesia. The ACP was used to anticipate the activities to be carried out, promoting ambiance, improving the professional-patient communication, and decreasing the stress of the patient. It was possible to carry out outpatient care without oral sedation and containment/physical restraint in both patients, being surpassed the communicative and behavioral difficulties. These case reports allow us to re-think dental care under general anesthesia or other invasive methods for patients with FXS. Therefore, the ACP is an important mediator tool that can facilitate the insertion and the management of patients with FXS, allowing the dental care outpatient clinic to promote oral health and quality of life for these patients, improving adherence to periodontal treatment and the periodontal maintenance for oral hygiene.

Regular maintenance appointments after non-surgical scaling and root planing support periodontal health in patients with or without dry mouth: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Non-surgical scaling and root planing (SRP), as an initial form of periodontal treatment, followed by ongoing periodontal maintenance appointments is necessary to manage periodontal disease and prevent tooth loss. Saliva also has an essential role in oral health though the relationship between low salivary flow and periodontal outcomes has not been extensively investigated. This study determined if patients with dry mouth have similar clinical outcomes as patients without dry mouth when receiving regular periodontal maintenance after SRP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study that investigated clinical periodontal outcomes in patients with (n = 34) or without (n = 85) dry mouth who had undergone SRP 1 to 5 years prior and had routine periodontal maintenance. The presence of dry mouth was established based on a patient's unstimulated salivary flow rate. RESULTS: Probing depth for both patients with or without dry mouth was similar between groups and maintained 1 to 5 years following initial SRP. Improved probing depth achieved post-SRP was sustained regardless of dry mouth status. CONCLUSION: Patients with or without dry mouth did not exhibit different probing depths.

A 12-month randomized controlled trial evaluating erythritol air-polishing versus curette/ultrasonic debridement of mandibular furcations in supportive periodontal therapy.

BACKGROUND: Due to complex morphology and limited access, the cleaning of the furcation area is extremely challenging. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches need to be tested to potentially overcome debridement limitations. The aim of the present prospective 12-month study was to compare clinical and microbiological effects following erythritol air-polishing versus conventional mechanical debridement of furcation defects in a cohort of periodontal maintenance patients. METHODS: Twenty patients with grade II mandibular molar furcation defects volunteered to enroll in this single-centre, examiner masked, randomized controlled trial. In a split-mouth study design, two furcation sites in each patient were randomly assigned to either receive subgingival debridement using erythritol air-polishing (test) or conventional ultrasonic/curette debridement (control) at baseline, and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Probing depth, clinical attachment level and bleeding on probing were recorded at 3-month intervals. Subgingival microbiological samples obtained at baseline, 6 and 12 months were analyzed using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. Discomfort from treatment was scored at 12 months using a visual analogue scale. The differences between treatments, and time-points, were tested using multilevel analysis (mixed effect models and robust variance estimates). RESULTS: A significant reduction in probing depth took place following both treatments (p < 0.001). Control sites experienced a significant mean gain in clinical attachment level of 0.5 mm (± 0.2) (p = 0.004), whereas a non-significant gain of 0.4 mm (± 0.3) was observed at test sites (p = 0.119). At 6 months, a significant between-treatment difference of 0.8 mm (± 0.4) was observed in favor of the control (p = 0.032). No significant between-treatment differences were observed in microbial load or composition. Notably, at 12 months patients experienced significantly less discomfort following air-polishing compared with control (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The 12-month observations indicate that erythritol air-polishing and conventional mechanical debridement both support clinical improvements. A significant between-treatment difference in clinical attachment level was, however, detected in favour of control debridement at 6 months. In terms of patient comfort, erythritol air-polishing is superior. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The clinical trial was retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrial.gov with registration NCT04493398 (07/28/2020).

The influence of the interaction between staging, grading and extent on tooth loss due to periodontitis.

AIM: To assess the ability of two-way interactions between baseline stage, grade and extent to predict tooth loss due to periodontitis (TLP) over a long-term follow-up period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients treated for periodontal disease with a complete medical history, baseline periodontal chart, full mouth radiographs and a minimum of ≥10 years follow-up were recruited. Supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) visits were recorded during the entire follow-up period. Patients were categorized according to their stage, grade and extent. The absolute survival at 10-, 20-, and 30-year follow-up was calculated for TLP. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted at the tooth-level and multilevel Cox regression frailty models were constructed in order to assess the association among predictive variables and TLP by taking into account the hierarchical patient-teeth structure. RESULTS: 442 patients (11,125 teeth) with a mean follow-up of 23 years met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. The most prevalent diagnosis at baseline was stage III grade B (30.3%), followed by stage II grade B (23.5%). Among the parameters analysed, stage and grade were found to be the best predictors of TLP. Statistically significant differences were observed for extent only in patients with severe disease (stage IV or grade C). The multilevel Cox regression analysis demonstrated that patients with higher concomitant baseline staging and grading developed greater TLP over the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Higher concomitant staging and grading corresponded to greater risk for TLP and generalized extent only became a significant predictor in patients with stage IV or grade C disease.

Clinical Efficacy of the 940-nm Diode Laser in the Treatment of Recurrent Pockets in the Periodontal Maintenance Phase.

Introduction: The basis of periodontal treatments is the mechanical removal of bacterial biofilm, which is often not sufficient. Therefore, laser therapy can be effective as an adjunct treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the 940-nm diode laser in the treatment of recurrent pockets of patients in the periodontal maintenance phase. Methods: The present clinical trial study was performed on 20 patients. Clinical indices, including bleeding index (BI), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) of the studied teeth were recorded before the test. The different quadrants were randomly divided into two experimental (scaling and root planing (SRP)+Laser) and control groups (SRP alone). Both groups were matched in terms of plaque index (PI). Clinical indices were re-recorded using therapeutic methods 30 and 90 days after the treatment, and data analysis was carried out using the t test and LSD. Results: There were no significant differences in PI, PPD, CAL, and BI in both groups before the treatment (P>0.05). However, there were significant differences in PPD, CAL, and BI in the two groups one month after the treatment (P<0.05); it means that improvements were more significant in the experimental group than in the control group. Comparing experimental and control groups, we found that there were no significant differences in PPD and CAL indices three months after the treatment (P>0.05); however, there were significant improvements in the BI index in both groups (P<0.05), so that the improvement was better in the experimental group than the control group. Conclusion: Both SRP+Laser and SRP alone improved clinical indices in patients. In short-term follow-up, the effect of SRP+Laser treatment on BI, CAL, PPD was significantly superior to SRP treatment alone, but in long-term follow-up, SRP+laser was more effective than SRP alone in improving the BI index.

Periodontitis y Alzheimer: posibles mecanismos de vinculación: revisión de la literatura / Periodontitis and Alzheimer: possible linking mechanisms: a review of the literature

La periodontitis es una enfermedad inflamatoria, crónica que afecta a los tejidos de soporte de los dientes y puede repercutir en la salud general, afectando la calidad de vida del paciente. La enfermedad de Alzheimer es una condición neurodegenerativa y progresiva que va disminuyendo la memoria, el lenguaje y aprendizaje de los pacientes. El objetivo de la investigación es realizar una revisión bibliográfica para comprender la posible vinculación entre la periodontitis y el Alzheimer. Los microorganismos periodontopatógenos producen una respuesta inflamatoria que, por vía sistémica, puede desencadenar un mecanismo inflamatorio dentro del sistema nervioso central. La respuesta del hospedero es liberar gran cantidad de moléculas proinflamatorias que comprometen la barrera hematoencefálica sobreestimulando a las células microgliales, esto conduce a la destrucción de neuronas vitales y al mantenimiento de la inflamación crónica que contribuye a la progresión del Alzheimer. Por otra parte, la periodontitis puede favorecer la formación de placas ateromatosas que afectan la integridad vascular siendo éste un factor a considerar en el desarrollo de la patología cerebrovascular. A pesar que son pocos los estudios clínicos experimentales, ya se puede sugerir la correlación entre ambas enfermedades (AU)

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the supporting tissues of teeth, affecting the systemic health and quality of life of the patient. Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative and progressive condition that decreases memory, speech and learning of patients. The objective of this literature review was to report the possible link between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease. Periodontopathogens produce an inflammatory response that, systemically, can trigger an inflammatory mechanism within the central nervous system. Due to this attack, the host releases a great quantity of proinflammatory molecules that compromise the blood-brain barrier by over- stimulation microglial cells, this produces destruction of vital neurons and maintenance the chronic inflammation in CNS and that contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's disease. On the other hand, periodontitis can favor the formation of atheromatous plaques that affect vascular integrity, being a factor to consider in the development of the cerebrovascular disease. Although there are few experimental clinical studies, the correlation between both diseases can already be suggested (AU)

The Efficacy of Adjunctive Aids in Periodontal Maintenance Therapy: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of adjunctive aids to scaling and root planing (SRP) on clinical outcomes in treating periodontal patients included in regular periodontal maintenance programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The electronic databases MEDLINE (Pubmed), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for relevant articles published up to 1st January, 2020. Randomised controlled clinical trials of SRP with or without the use of adjuncts and published in English were included. A meta-analysis using the random-effects model was performed on the selected qualifying articles. RESULTS: Nineteen studies were included in the systematic review and sixteen in the meta-analysis. The overall effect of adjunctive aids was statistically significant for reduction in probing depth (PD) (0.376 mm, 95% CI [0.144 to 0.609]) and clinical attachment level (CAL) gain (0.207 mm, 95% CI [0.0728 to 0.340]). No statistically significant differences were observed for changes in bleeding on probing (BOP) (p > 0.05). Among the different adjuncts, statistically significant positive effects were demonstrated for adjunctive photodynamic therapy (PD reduction 0.908 mm, 95% CI [0.227 to 1.589] and CAL change (0.457 mm, 95% CI [0.133 to 0.782]) and tetracycline fibers (PD reduction 0.534 mm, 95% CI [0.290 to 0.778] and CAL gain 0.280 mm, 95% CI [0.0391 to 0.521]). CONCLUSIONS: Despite high heterogeneity of the investigated data, based on the findings of a current systematic review, adjunctive aids (in particular, photodynamic therapy and tetracycline fibers) combined with SRP provide statistically significant clinical benefits compared to SRP alone. Due to the large number of included studies with high risk of bias, future studies should be based on adequate methodological procedures to improve the overall quality of reporting and to reduce the risk of bias.