Evaluation of the effect of subgingival placement of chlorhexidine chips as an adjunct to scaling and root planing.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this 9-month study was to compare the effect of scaling and root planing alone (control) to that of scaling and root planing plus application of chlorhexidine chips (test).


METHODS
Twenty-six subjects having two non-adjacent sites in non-molar teeth with probing depth > or =5 mm and bleeding on probing participated in this split-mouth trial. At baseline, the patients received full-mouth scaling and root planing followed by placement of chlorhexidine chips secured by cyanoacrylate at test sites and placement of cyanoacrylate alone at control sites. Test sites still > or =5 mm deep at 3 and 6 months were retreated with renewed chlorhexidine chip application. Recordings of bleeding on probing, probing depths, and clinical attachment levels were performed at baseline, after 6 weeks, and after 3, 6, and 9 months.


RESULTS
Improvements of bleeding scores, probing depths and clinical attachment levels were observed for both test and control sites at 6 weeks compared to baseline. Subsequently, all three measurements remained comparatively stable throughout the study. No differences in improvements were found comparing test and control sites.


CONCLUSIONS
This study failed to observe any adjunctive effect of subgingival placement of chlorhexidine chips after scaling and root planing.
Carvalho
Juliana
J
Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA. jcarvalho@llu.edu
Novak
M John
MJ
Mota
Luis F
LF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012534:Dental Scaling; D004343:Drug Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000188:drug therapy; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000188:drug therapy; D016745:Root Planing; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D004343:Drug Implants; D002710:Chlorhexidine