title: Periodontal dressing (Vocopac) influences outcomes in a two-step treatment procedure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is not clear if periodontal dressing influences the long-term results in a non-surgical treatment procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  The periodontal parameters (pre-baseline) of 36 patients with aggressive periodontitis were obtained before the patients were treated initially (1st step) by a dental hygienist, who completely removed the supra- and subgingival concrements. Baseline parameters were raised 3 weeks after the 1st step, before the 2nd therapy step was conducted. It consisted of a non-surgical procedure, which comprised a closed full-mouth manual root curettage (root planing), immediate systemic application of metronidazole, and the placement of a periodontal dressing (Vocopac, Voco). The patients were randomized to two test groups having their periodontal packs removed after 3-4 days (group 1, n=12) and 7-8 days (group 2, n=12), respectively and a control group (n=12) without periodontal dressing. Clinical parameters were raised again after 6 and 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six and 24 months later, changes in probing pocket depth (PPD) and probing attachment level (PAL) were observed in all three groups compared with baseline, but the difference was significant in group 2 only. In addition, group 2 showed a greater reduction in mean PPD and also a significantly greater gain of attachment in comparison with the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wound dressing has a positive effect on clinical long-term results using a two-step non-surgical procedure. Moreover, removing the dressing after 7-8 days leads to clearly better results than removing it earlier.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Conservative Dentistry, Jena, Germany. bernd.w.sigusch@med.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Sigusch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pfitzner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nietzsch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Glockmann
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012534:Dental Scaling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010511:Periodontal Dressings; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy*; D016745:Root Planing; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D008795:Metronidazole