Enamel matrix proteins and systemic antibiotics as adjuncts to non-surgical periodontal treatment: clinical effects.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical effects of non-surgical periodontal treatment, supplemented with enamel matrix derivative (EMD) and/or systemic antibiotics, in deep periodontal pockets of patients with chronic periodontitis.

METHODS

This was a randomized, placebo-controlled longitudinal clinical trial of 12 months duration. Using a split-mouth design, 16 subjects were randomly assigned to scaling and root planing (SRP) with EMD or placebo in contra-lateral dentition areas. One half of the subjects received 250 mg metronidazole and 375 mg amoxicillin three times a day for 7 days and the other half received a placebo. One inter-proximal periodontal lesion was chosen as study site in each of the contra-lateral quadrants.

RESULTS

Subjects treated with systemic antibiotics yielded significantly better clinical results than those treated with placebo. In these cases, probing pocket depth was reduced significantly more after 6 months (3.0+/-2.1 mm versus 1.6+/-1.4 mm, p=0.05), and the mean clinical attachment gain was significantly greater after 6 months (2.3+/-1.9 mm versus 0.7+/-1.6 mm, p=0.02) and 12 months (2.3+/-3.5 mm versus 0.4+/-3.8 mm, p=0.02). Sites treated with the antibiotics plus EMD gained the largest amount of clinical attachment. There was no significant benefit of EMD adjunctive to SRP in subjects not treated with antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study supports the notion that optimal repair and regeneration of the periodontium requires suppression of the microbiota causing periodontal disease.