Effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy III. Single versus repeated instrumentation

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Abstract
Healing events following nonsurgical periodontal therapy were studied, comparing the effect of a single initial instrumentation to the effect of 3 instrumentations, each separated by 3 months. Incisors, cuspids and premolars with periodontal pockets up to 11 mm deep in 13 patients were treated by plaque control and supra‐ and subgingival debridement using ultrasonic instruments. A split mouth approach was used to compare the 2 frequencies of instrumentation. The results were evaluated by recording of plaque scores, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depths and probing attachment levels. A gradual and marked improvement of the periodontal conditions took place during the initial 9 months following start of therapy. During the remaining 15 months of the 24‐month experimental period no further changes of the recorded parameters were noted. No differences in results could be observed when comparing the effects of a single versus repeated instrumentation. Thus, it appears that deep periodontal pockets in incisors, cuspids and premolars may be successfully treated by plaque control and 1 episode of instrumentation. The results also suggest that reccurrence of disease due to subgingival recolonization by microorganisms during the healing phase may not be a major clinical problem.

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