%0 Journal Article
%T Effect of Therapy on Periodontal Infections.
%A Socransky SS
%A Haffajee AD
%J J Periodontol
%V 64
%N 0
%D Aug 1993
%M 29539759
%F 4.494
%R 10.1902/jop.1993.64.8s.754
%X Periodontal disease progression requires the simultaneous presence of high numbers of pathogens, low numbers of compatible or beneficial species, a conducive local environment, and a susceptible host. Effective therapy acts by altering one or more of these factors. Data from an ongoing study were used to examine the biological basis of treatment success or failure. Seventeen subjects showing disease progression were treated by Widman flap surgery at deep sites, scaling at shallow sites, and 1 of 4 randomlyassigned, systemically-administered adjunctive agents including amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium (Au) (n = 3), ibuprofen (n = 3), tetracycline (n = 9), or a placebo (n = 2). Clinical measurements and microbiological samples (enumerated using DNA probes) taken from the mesial aspect of each tooth pre-treatment and 12 months post-treatment were compared and 418 pre- and 418 post-therapy plaque samples were enumerated. Overall, the 4 treatments resulted in pocket depth reduction and "gain" in attachment. After therapy, the percentage of sites colonized by Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, and Bacteroides forsythus was decreased and counts > 106 were less frequent. Large attachment level gains were accompanied by major decreases in these species and were more frequent in subjects receiving antibiotics. A small number of sites in each treatment group became deeper and/or lost attachment. More than half of these sites were detected in 2 subjects who were older (65 vs. 44), had higher serum antibody to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype a (506 vs. 125 ELISA units), A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b (518 vs. 130), and Campylobacter rectus (39 vs. 18). They also had the lowest mean total viable subgingival counts (1.1 vs. 12.3 × 106 ) and the lowest counts of each species pre-therapy. In the total subject group, increased mean counts of P. gingivalis and B. forsythus were seen at sites showing attachment loss > 1 mm after therapy, while counts decreased at sites showing no attachment change or "gain" > 1 mm. J Periodontol 1993; 64:754-759.