title: Effects of surgical treatment on the microbial flora in residual periodontal pockets.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of modified Widman flap surgery on the microbial flora in deep residual periodontal pockets remaining after non-surgical treatment. Micro-organisms from samples of subgingival plaque obtained from adult periodontitis sites in six patients were cultured aerobically and anaerobically, on a variety of media and identified. Non-surgical treatment produced little clinical improvement and had little effect on the total microbial count. Subsequent modified Widman flap surgery resulted in significant clinical improvements which were accompanied by an overall reduction in microbial counts. Regular reviews for scaling and oral hygiene maintained the clinical improvements and balance in favour of beneficial microbial species during the 1 year of the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Sheffield Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rawlinson
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Duerden
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goodwin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017861:Porphyromonas / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018720:Prevotella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015003:Yeasts / Q000302:isolation & purification