title: An estimate of pocket closure and avoided needs of surgery after scaling and root planing with systemic antibiotics: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Relevant benefits of adjunctive medication of antibiotica after conventional root surface debridement in terms of enhanced pocket depth (PD) reduction have been shown. However, means and standard deviations of enhanced reductions are difficult to translate into clinical relevant treatment outcomes such as pocket resolution or avoidance of additional surgical interventions. Accordingly, the aim of this systematic review was to calculate odds ratios for relevant cut-off values of PD after mechanical periodontal treatment with and without antibiotics, specifically the combination of amoxicilline and metronidazol, from published studies. As clinical relevant cut-off values "pocket closure" for PD ≤ 3mm and "avoidance of surgical intervention" for PD ≤ 5 mm were determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The databases PubMed, Embase and Central were searched for randomized clinical studies assessing the beneficial effect of the combination of amoxicillin and metronidazole after non-surgical mechanical debridement. Titles, abstracts and finally full texts were scrutinized for possible inclusion by two independent investigators. Quality and heterogeneity of the studies were assessed and the study designs were examined. From published means and standard deviations for PD after therapy, odds ratios for the clinically relevant cut-off values were calculated using a specific statistical approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Meta-analyses were performed for the time points 3 and 6 month after mechanical therapy. Generally, a pronounced chance for pocket closure from 3 to 6 months of healing was shown. The administration of antibiotics resulted in a 3.55 and 4.43 fold higher probability of pocket closure after 3 and 6 months as compared to mechanical therapy alone. However, as the estimated risk for residual pockets > 5 mm was 0 for both groups, no odds ratio could be calculated for persistent needs for surgery. Generally, studies showed a moderate to high quality and large heterogeneity regarding treatment protocol, dose of antibiotic medication and maintenance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the performed statistical approach, a clear benefit in terms of an enhanced chance for pocket closure by co-administration of the combination of amoxicillin and metronidazole as an adjunct to non-surgical mechanical periodontal therapy has been shown. However, data calculation failed to show a benefit regarding the possible avoidance of surgical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland. miirsi@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Mirela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolakovic
authors.affiliation: Horten Center, University Hospital Zurich, Pestalozzistrasse 24, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland. ulrike.held@usz.ch.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Held
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland. patrick.schmidlin@zzm.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Patrick R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Schmidlin
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland. philipp.sahrmann@zzm.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sahrmann
mesh_terms: D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000379:methods*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000628:therapy*; D016745:Root Planing / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008795:Metronidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin