title: The effects of erythritol air-polishing powder on microbiologic and clinical outcomes during supportive periodontal therapy: Six-month results of a randomized controlled clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the physical characteristics of a new low abrasive erythritol powder (EPAP) and to evaluate its influence on the clinical and microbiologic parameters over a period of 6 months in patients undergoing supportive periodontal therapy (SPT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prior to the clinical application, the particle size and abrasion level of EPAP were compared to glycine air-polishing powder (GPAP) ex vivo. Subsequently, 40 chronic periodontitis patients previously enrolled in SPT were randomly assigned into two groups for the treatment with subgingival EPAP or repeated scaling and root planing (SRP). At baseline (BL), bleeding on probing positive (BOP+) sites with probing pocket depth (PPD) of ≥ 4 mm but no detectable calculus were defined as study sites. During SPT, these sites were either treated by EPAP or SRP at BL, 3, and 6 months (3M, 6M). When indicated, additional SRP was provided. Plaque Index, BOP, PPD, clinical attachment level (CAL), and subgingival plaque were evaluated at BL and 6M.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EPAP yielded lower abrasiveness and smaller particle sizes when compared to GPAP. In 38 patients completing the study, EPAP and SRP resulted in significant reductions of BOP% (EPAP, 40.45%; SRP, 42.53%), PPD (EPAP, -0.67; SRP, -0.68), and increase of CAL (EPAP, 0.48; SRP, 0.61) while at 6M no statistically significant between-group differences were observed (P > .05). Microbiologic evaluation revealed minor shifts in the composition of the subgingival biofilm without influence on periodontopathogenic bacteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subgingival use of EPAP by means of an air-polishing device may be considered safe and may lead to comparable clinical and microbiologic outcomes to those obtained with SRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subgingival use of EPAP appears to represent a promising modality for the removal of subgingival biofilm during SPT.
authors.forename: Tobias T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Hägi
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hofmänner
authors.forename: Sigrun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eick
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donnet
authors.forename: Giovanni E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sculean
authors.forename: Christoph A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ramseier
mesh_terms: D003775:Dental Polishing / Q000379:methods*; D012534:Dental Scaling; D004896:Erythritol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D010316:Particle Size; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011208:Powders; D016745:Root Planing; D013499:Surface Properties; D013557:Switzerland; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011208:Powders; D004896:Erythritol