title: Root planing following short-term pocket distention.
abstract: This study evaluated the effectiveness of root planing following short-term pocket distention. Seventy-five single-rooted teeth with probing depths > or = 5 mm and < or = 10 mm were selected. The teeth were randomly divided into three treatment groups. In groups 1 and 2 a gingival retraction cord (aluminum sulfate-impregnated in group 1 and non-impregnated cord in group 2) was packed subgingivally for 30 minutes. Following removal of the cord, the teeth were scaled and root planed. In group 3 the teeth were root planed only. Following instrumentation, the teeth were extracted and examined under a stereomicroscope. The residual calculus on the root surface of each tooth was measured using a computerized image analysis system. The quantities were compared using a two-way ANOVA and Chi-square test. The results showed that 46.3% of all root surfaces had detectable residual calculus and that the mean percentage of residual calculus per root surface was 4.41% following root planing. Forty percent of the root surfaces in group 1 had residual calculus, 38.0% in group 2, and 61.0% in group 3. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) between groups 1 and 2 compared to group 3. The mean calculus per root surface for groups 1, 2, and 3 was 3.03%, 3.04%, and 7.15%, respectively. Significant differences (P < 0.005) were found between groups 1 and 2 compared to group 3. These results indicate that subgingival calculus removal in deep pockets is enhanced with short-term pocket distention, and that there is no added benefit to having aluminum sulfate present in the retraction cord.
authors.affiliation: Division of Periodontics, Northwestern University Dental School, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maddalozzo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geivelis
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012534:Dental Scaling; D005888:Gingival Pocket / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016745:Root Planing / Q000379:methods*; D013357:Subgingival Curettage / Q000295:instrumentation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000534:Alum Compounds; C041524:aluminum sulfate