title: Replacement therapy for periodontitis: pilot radiographic evaluation in a dog model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to radiologically evaluate the impact of replacement therapy by monitoring bone density changes and alveolar bone level in periodontal pockets in a dog model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight male beagle dogs with moderate periodontitis were enrolled in this split-mouth, double-blind randomized trial with ethical approval. Periodontal defects were surgically created bilaterally in the lower jaw. Four months later, the defects were randomly assigned to initial therapy (scaling and root planing) alone (control sites), or combined with multiple subgingival application of beneficial species. Intra-oral follow-up radiography was performed at this stage and 3 months later to verify the treatment effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The bone density within periodontal pockets treated with beneficial bacteria improved significantly after 12 weeks, while this was non-significant for the control pockets, receiving a single root planing at baseline. There was a significant increase in the bone level at the end of the study for the pockets receiving beneficial bacteria. Again, no significance was noted for the control pockets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study indicates the potential effect of a subgingival application of beneficial species in periodontal pockets, and illustrates the strength of standardized follow-up radiography to evaluate the effects of different treatment strategies on bone re-modelling.
authors.affiliation: Oral Imaging Center, School of Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, K.U. Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nackaerts
authors.forename: Reinhilde
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quirynen
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rober
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Teughels
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D012534:Dental Scaling; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011859:Radiography; D011897:Random Allocation; D013291:Streptococcus