title: Potential impact of surgical periodontal therapy on oral health-related quality of life in patients with periodontitis: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To gain insight into the impact of periodontal surgery on oral health-related quality of life (QoL) of patients with periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants were recruited from moderate to severe periodontitis patients. After initial periodontal therapy, participants received periodontal surgery. Oral Health-related Quality of Life Model for Dental Hygiene (OHRQL) was used to assess participant's QoL at each time point of periodontal evaluation (baseline, at least 3 weeks after initial therapy and 3-4 months after surgery).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 21 patients completed OHRQL assessment after surgery. Compared with baseline, a progressive improvement in periodontal parameters was observed during the periodontal therapy. The total mean OHRQL score at baseline (25.5 ± 11.4) was significantly reduced (improved) after initial therapy and after surgery (16.7 ± 9.5 and 15.0 ± 9.7, respectively; p < 0.01). However, no significant difference was found between the OHRQL score after initial therapy and that after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant differences in patients' oral health-related QoL were observed between post-initial therapy and post-surgery intervals, although a tendency of surgery to determine an improvement in QoL was observed when compared with post-initial treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. atsaito@tdc.ac.jp
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Mayako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akamatsu
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fukaya
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.forename: Koushu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujinami
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugito
authors.forename: Taneaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000523:psychology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D057747:Periodontal Debridement / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome