Clinical evaluation of the use of locally delivered chlorhexidine in periodontal maintenance therapy.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate clinically the effectiveness of a chlorhexidine gluconate chip in sites still showing signs of disease during periodontal maintenance therapy.


METHODS
Forty-two maintenance non-smoking patients (previously treated with non-surgical scaling and root planing [SRP]), presenting at least one probing depth (PD) of 5 to 8 mm, and bleeding on probing (BOP) at single-rooted teeth were assigned randomly to two groups: treated with a chlorhexidine gluconate chip (CHIP group) and treated with SRP (SRP group). Patients were assessed for plaque index, gingival index, BOP, PD, clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival recession at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 and 6 months.


RESULTS
Both treatments resulted in improvements in all parameters evaluated. After 6 months, a reduction in PD of 2.64 +/- 0.02 mm and 2.12 +/- 0.02 mm was observed for CHIP and SRP groups, respectively (P >0.05). The observed gain in CAL was 2.19 +/- 0.87 mm and 2.07 +/- 1.53 mm for CHIP and SRP groups, respectively (P >0.05). In deep pockets, PD reduction was 3.60 +/- 0.70 mm for CHIP group and 2.83 +/- 0.62 mm for SRP group (P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Both treatments were equally effective in periodontal health reestablishment in inflamed single-root sites of maintenance patients. However, for deep pockets, the chlorhexidine gluconate chip was more effective than SRP in reducing PD.
Rodrigues
Ivana Ferreira Gomes
IF
Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry of Piracicaba, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
Machion
Luciana
L
Casati
Marcio Zafalon
MZ
Nociti
Francisco Humberto
FH
de Toledo
Sergio
S
Sallum
Antonio Wilson
AW
Sallum
Enilson Antonio
EA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012534:Dental Scaling; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000188:drug therapy; D016745:Root Planing
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine