A short-term clinical and microbial evaluation of periodontal therapy associated with amalgam overhang removal.
BACKGROUND
This study evaluated the effect of periodontal therapy plus amalgam overhang removal (PT+AOR) on periodontal status and the presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Streptococcus mutans and compared two microbiological sampling techniques.


METHODS
Molar teeth with Class II overhang restorations were selected as the test group, and homologous sound teeth were selected as the control group. Periodontal probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and plaque and gingival indices were measured, and restorations were evaluated using radiographs and clinical exploration at baseline (T1) and 90 days after PT+AOR (T2). Microbial samples were taken with dental floss and paper points at T1 and T2. S. mutans and A. actinomycetemcomitans were detected using culture and commercial kits.


RESULTS
Mean values of plaque and gingival indices did not show statistically significant differences between test and control teeth between T1 and T2. At T2, the mean CAL decreased among test teeth, and the number of test teeth positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans showed a decrease, whereas positive samples for S. mutans increased. At T1, an association between the two sampling techniques for both bacteria was found. At T2, dental floss presented low sensitivity values for A. actinomycetemcomitans, whereas paper points showed low sensitivity for S. mutans.


CONCLUSIONS
PT+AOR showed a beneficial effect on clinical parameters and a decrease of A. actinomycetemcomitans. At T1, both sampling techniques showed appropriate results. At T2, the use of paper points was a more sensitive sampling technique for isolate A. actinomycetemcomitans, whereas dental floss was found to be an alternative sampling method for isolate S. mutans.
Roman-Torres
Caio Vinicius Gonçalves
CV
Department of Dentistry, Periodontics Research Division, University of Taubaté, Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil. ca.torres@uol.com.br
Cortelli
Sheila Cavalca
SC
de Araujo
Marcelo Werneck Barata
MW
Aquino
Davi Romeiro
DR
Cortelli
José Roberto
JR
D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000009:adverse effects; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012534:Dental Scaling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D019233:Retreatment; D013048:Specimen Handling; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification
D003723:Dental Amalgam