title: Effects of blunt scaling on periodontal status and subgingival microorganisms. A pilot study.
abstract: Clinical and microbiological effects of 3 periodontal treatments were investigated: (i) scaling and root planing with sharp instruments combined with pocket flushing, (ii) scaling with blunt plastic curettes and pocket flushing, and (iii) pocket flushing alone. Clinically comparable, randomized sites of 8 patients with progressive adult periodontitis were treated 4 times in intervals of approximately 4 months. Prior to each re-treatment and at the end of the study all sites were clinically monitored and the subgingival microflora was examined. Results showed that all treatments were effective in reducing pocket depths and the subgingival microflora, while attachment levels remained unchanged. At individual sites treatment responses were of considerable heterogeneity. In general, clinically improving sites had strongly reduced and sites loosing > or = 3 mm of attachment high residual bacterial cell numbers. Sites with intermediate residual subgingival plaque levels showed quite variable clinical responses. This preliminary study suggests that weakly abrasive procedures could be very valuable for the initial treatment of periodontal lesions. This hypothesis should be further tested in comprehensive clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Microbiology and General Immunology, University of Zurich.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gmür
authors.forename: U P
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Saxer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guggenheim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016745:Root Planing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data