Local delivery of antimicrobial drugs in the treatment of chronic adult periodontitis.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiologic results of local delivery of adjunctive antimicrobials in the treatment and management of patients with periodontitis.

METHODS

The study population included 33 patients (age range, 37-49 years), with chronic adult periodontitis. Eleven of 33 received local treatment with 10% doxycycline injected directly into the periodontal pocket; 11 received local treatment with a chlorhexidine-based gel (1.5%) in situ; 11 received mechanical treatment with scaling and root planing. The crevicular fluid of the doxycycline-treated group was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography over a period of 1 month.

RESULTS

In the 11 patients treated with an antibiotic we observed a reduction in attachment loss and a reduction in probing depth of 1.4 mm; in the 11 chlorhexidine-treated patients we observed a reduction in attachment loss and a reduction in probing depth of 0.9 mm; in the remaining 11 patients the reduction in attachment loss and probing depth was less than those measured in the other two treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that direct delivery of antimicrobial agents to the infection site may be a useful adjunctive to conventional periodontal treatment.