title: Combined treatment of periodontal disease and benign mucous membrane pemphigoid. Case report with 8 years maintenance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desquamative gingivitis may be the clinical manifestation of one of several systemic diseases. The clinical course of the disease can be complicated by plaque-associated periodontitis. However, there is no information currently available for the concurrent management of both conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This paper presents the treatment and 8-year maintenance of a patient with periodontal disease and benign mucous membrane pemphigoid (BMMP). The first phase of treatment included oral hygiene instructions and local corticosteroid administration, followed by scaling and root planing. The patient's compliance and excellent response to therapy allowed for subsequent surgical pocket elimination and augmentation of the zone of keratinized tissue for prosthetic reasons. Over the following 8 years, the patient's periodontal condition remained stable even though periodontal maintenance was erratic. For the control of BMMP, intermittent administration of corticosteroids was necessary, without any significant local or systemic side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that combined treatment and long-term maintenance of BMMP and periodontitis are feasible under certain conditions and propose a clinical protocol for treatment which could serve as a guideline for similar conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA. PDamoulis@Infonet.Tufts.Edu
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Damoulis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gagari
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors