title: Clinical evaluation of partial- and full-mouth scaling in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Full-mouth scaling (FMS) is claimed by some researchers to be superior to standard scaling and root planing (SRP). The aim of the present study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of two modalities of non-surgical periodontal therapy for patients with chronic periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study, 37 subjects with chronic periodontitis were treated by SRP in two quadrants at 4-week intervals (N=20) or by FMS (N=17). Clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded at premolar and molar teeth at baseline and after 6 and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both therapies resulted in significant improvements of all clinical variables. After 12 months, CAL at pockets with PDs of 4 to 6 mm was reduced significantly from 4.5+/-0.8 mm to 3.4+/-1.0 mm with SRP and from 4.7+/-0.9 mm to 3.8+/-1.1 mm with FMS (P<0.001). PD decreased from 4.4+/-0.6 mm to 3.3+/-0.9 mm in the SRP group and from 4.5+/-0.7 mm to 3.5+/-1.0 mm in the FMS group (P<0.001). BOP was reduced from 63.6%+/-45.3% to 29.0%+/-42.6% in the SRP group and from 59.6%+/-43.8% to 28.6%+/-38.3% in the FMS group (P<0.001 and P=0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to CAL gain, PD, and BOP reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both therapy modalities have the same positive influence on clinical outcome at premolar and molar teeth with PDs of 4 to 6 mm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. gerhild.knoefler@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Gerhild U
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Knöfler
authors.forename: Regina E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Purschwitz
authors.forename: Holger F R
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Jentsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000379:methods*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000628:therapy; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000628:therapy; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy*; D016745:Root Planing / Q000379:methods*