Effort and costs of tooth preservation in supportive periodontal treatment in a German population.
OBJECTIVE
Assessment of effort (number of visits) and costs of tooth preservation 10 years after initiation of anti-infective therapy.


METHODS
Data of 98 patients who had received active periodontal treatment 10 years ago by the same examiner were analysed to gather information on effort and costs of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Clinical examination, interleukin-1 (IL-1) polymorphism test, smoking, search of patients' files (i.e. initial diagnosis), as well as a questionnaire on medical history and socioeconomic data were performed. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
During 10 years of SPT patients had 14.8+/-7.4 visits. Number of visits was statistically significantly higher for individuals with a mean plaque control record >or=24 %. The number of subgingival scalings per tooth ranged from 0 to 14 (mean: 1.17). On tooth level several confounders could be identified: tooth type, initial bone loss, furcation involvement, abutment status, and previous regenerative surgery (p <or = 0.003). Costs for therapy per tooth during SPT ranged from 1.21 euro to 404.72 euro with mean costs between 60.52 euro and 91.99 euro. On tooth level the tooth type, initial bone loss, abutment status, furcation involvement, and previous regenerative surgery showed statistical significance (p <or= 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Costs for tooth retention via SPT are relatively low compared with alternatives (e.g. implants or bridgework) even in periodontally impaired teeth.
Pretzl
Bernadette
B
Section of Periodontology, Department of Conservative Dentistry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany. bernadette_pretzl@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Wiedemann
Denise
D
Cosgarea
Raluca
R
Kaltschmitt
Jens
J
Kim
Ti-Sun
TS
Staehle
Hans-Joerg
HJ
Eickholz
Peter
P
D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000191:economics; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000191:economics; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D000044:Dental Abutments / Q000191:economics; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000191:economics; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000517:prevention & control; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003829:Denture, Partial / Q000191:economics; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000191:economics; D005858:Germany; D016557:Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010808:Physical Examination; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015921:Dental Implants