title: Pocket-depths-related effectiveness of an intrapocket anaesthesia gel in periodontal maintenance patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the pocket depth on the effectiveness of an intrapocket anaesthesia gel during SRP in periodontal maintenance patients. Effectiveness was measured by pain levels during SRP via visual analogue scale (VAS) and verbal rating scale (VRS). Secondary endpoint was the evaluation of patients' preferred choice of anaesthesia for SRP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 638 patients undergoing the periodontal maintenance programme and with the need for SRP participated in this observational study. After SRP, patients filled in questionnaires to record pain levels experienced and anaesthesia preference for future use. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to analyse intergroup difference in pain perception and anaesthesia choice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, increasing pocket depths were accompanied by higher pain levels, irrespective of maximum or commonest pocket depths (P < 0.05). For SRP procedures, patients definitely prefer the anaesthesia gel (72.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, an effectiveness of local anaesthesia gel (lidocaine/prilocaine) related to pocket depths was found in periodontal maintenance patients during SRP. Increasing pocket depths were accompanied by increasing procedural pain levels. Nevertheless, the anaesthesia gel is well accepted and in the majority of cases was found to be the preferred option for future SRP treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: S H M
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Derman
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lowden
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaus
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Noack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077442:Lidocaine, Prilocaine Drug Combination; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D057240:Patient Preference; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011318:Prilocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016745:Root Planing / Q000379:methods; D064232:Visual Analog Scale; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D005782:Gels; D000077442:Lidocaine, Prilocaine Drug Combination; D011318:Prilocaine; D008012:Lidocaine
keywords: anaesthetics; periodontal maintenance; periodontal recall; periodontitis; scaling and root planing