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Local tetracycline delivery using hollow fiber devices in periodontal therapy
Author(s) -
Llindhe J.,
Heijl L.,
Goodson J. M.,
Socransky S. S.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of clinical periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.456
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1600-051X
pISSN - 0303-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-051x.1979.tb02193.x
Subject(s) - tetracycline , periodontitis , dentistry , gingival and periodontal pocket , fiber , periodontal disease , medicine , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , antibiotics , composite material
. The present investigation was performed to assess the effect of tetracycline, locally administered via hollow fiber devices, on the microflora of periodontal pockets in humans and on various clinical parameters describing periodontitis. Five patients with advanced periodontal disease were used in the study. Each patient had at least four pairs of contralateral teeth where approximally located pockets could be probed to 6 mm or more. The amount of supragingival plaque present on the tooth surface adjacent to the eight diseased sites was determined as well as the degree of gingival inflammation. Probing depths were recorded with a graduated probe. The clinical measurements were repeated 7, 14, 28, and 37 days following the start of treatment. From the eight pockets bacterial samples were collected from deep subgingival sites. The bacteria were examined in a dark‐field microscope and categorized into the following groups: cocci and non‐motile rods, filaments and fusiforms, motile and curved rods and spirochetes. The percentage distribution of the various forms was calculated. Following the initial examination the patients were given detailed instruction in proper oral hygiene techniques. Three of the diseased sites were treated by scaling and three by tetracycline application using the hollow fiber device. One pair of sites was used as untreated controls. On day 28 the three initially mechanically debrided sites were scaled anew and active fiber material inserted in the three contralateral sites. The experiments showed that it is possible by the use of tetracycline‐filled hollow fiber devices to markedly change the composition of the subgingival flora of initially diseased periodontal sites. Locally delivered tetracycline proved effective in reducing or eliminating clinical symptoms of periodontal pathology.