Tetracycline Therapy in Patients with Early Juvenile Periodontitis

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Abstract
Tetracycline therapy, when used in conjunction with surgery or root planing, has been shown to be effective in controlling the progression of juvenile Periodontitis. However, the ability of tetracycline alone to control the disease has not been assessed. The present study evaluated the effects of tetracycline therapy, with supragingival plaque control, on clinical attachment levels and radiographie bone height in patients with clinical and radiographie evidence of juvenile Periodontitis. The four patients (mean age 15.2 ± 0.3 yrs) each demonstrated loss of attachment of ≥2 mm at one or more probing sites and had accompanying radiographie evidence of early localized bone loss. Following an initial clinical evaluation consisting of pocket depths, attachment levels and standardized radiographs, the patients received systemic tetracycline therapy (1 gm/day for three to six weeks) and oral hygiene instruction. At the completion of antibiotic therapy, patients received a supragingival professional prophylaxis every two weeks for three months, whereupon the initial evaluation was repeated. On comparing the initial and three‐month clinical and radiographic data, there were significant decreases in clinical and radiographic measurements.For a total of 85 affected probing sites around 26 teeth, 79% decreased in pocket depth by ≥2 mm (with no sites increasing in pocket depth) and 69% gained clinical attachment (with only one site losing attachment of 1 mm). Radiographic measurements revealed an increase in both the height and area of coronal alveolar bone. The findings indicated that six weeks of systemic tetracycline therapy combined with supragingival plaque control was effective in the initial control of early juvenile Periodontitis.
Funding Information
  • National Institutes of Health