Short-term influence of lingual orthodontic therapy on microbial parameters and periodontal status. A preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
To perform a preliminary study of the short-term effect of fixed, customized lingual orthodontic appliances on periodontal and microbial parameters.


METHODS
The sample comprised 20 subjects (6 males and 14 females) with a mean age of 22.3 years +/- 8.6 years. Before (T(0)) and 4 weeks after placement (T(1)) of custom-made lingual appliances on the lower teeth only, plaque index (PI), probing pocket depth (PPD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were measured. A 16S rRNA-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to detect Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ( Aa ) and Porphyromonas gingivalis ( Pg ) in the crevicular fluid. To compare periodontal parameters on bonded lingual (testing) and unbonded palatal (control) and labial (control) sites between T(0) and T(1), the Wilcoxon test was applied.


RESULTS
On the lingual aspects of bonded teeth, a significant increase of BOP (T(0): 23.4 +/- 22.5%; T(1): 46.2 +/- 23.5%; P = .001) and PI (T(0): 0.3 +/- 0.3; T(1): 1.0 +/- 0.7; P = .001) was observed, but no significant changes for PPD (T(0): 2.1 +/- 0.4 mm; T(1): 2.2 +/- 0.3 mm; P = .286) were found. On control sites, no significant changes were recorded for any periodontal parameter. Aa was found in 25% of the patients at baseline (5 subjects) and in 35% of the patients at T(1) (2 additional positive subjects), whereas Pg was found in 5% of the cohort at T(0) and at T(1) (same patient).


CONCLUSIONS
Even in the short term, insertion of fixed lingual appliances induced a worsening of periodontal parameters restricted to bonded lingual sites.
Demling
A
A
Department of Orthodontics, Hannover Medical School, Germany. Demling.Anton@mh-hannover.de
Demling
C
C
Schwestka-Polly
R
R
Stiesch
M
M
Heuer
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001840:Dental Bonding / Q000379:methods; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S