Retrospective comparison of clinical variables between compliant and non-compliant patients.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate if patients with moderate to advanced periodontitis had comparable periodontal conditions at baseline and during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) whether they were compliant or not.


METHODS
Patient-related variables were compared: age, tooth mobility, furcation involvement, number of teeth, pocket probing depth, plaque index. Compliant patients (n = 142) received complete periodontal treatment and were followed over at least 10 years (group A). Non-compliant patients either discontinued supportive periodontal therapy (n = 42, group B) or dropped out before or during periodontal surgery (n = 44, group C).


RESULTS
At baseline, there were no significant differences between the 3 groups except for mobility. During SPT, mean pocket probing depth and plaque index differed significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that non-compliant patients compared to compliant patients had similar periodontal conditions at baseline, but responded less favourably to periodontal surgery and maintenance.
Department of Periodontology, Dental School, University of Kiel, Germany.
J
J
König
H C
HC
Plagmann
N
N
Langenfeld
T
T
Kocher
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D012534:Dental Scaling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016745:Root Planing; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014086:Tooth Mobility / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy; D016312:Treatment Refusal