EFFECT OF THE NSAID FLURBIPROFEN ON REMODELING AFTER PERIODONTAL SURGERY

The aim of the present experiment was to assess the effect of the admi nistration of the NSAID flurbiprofen (Froben((R))) on tissue healing a fter periodontal surgery. Sites from patients with the same treatment modality (modified Widman flap) but receiving a placebo drug and sites within each patient not exposed to surgery served as controls. Ninete en patients suffering from moderate to severe periodontal disease were recruited and they signed informed consent forms. These patients requ ired periodontal surgery as assessed at the periodontal re-evaluation. The sites chosen for the study were all diagnosed with PPD greater th an or equal to 5 mm and were bleeding on probing. During the healing p hase 10 patients received 50 mg Froben((R)) 3 times per day for 30 d w hereas 9 patients received a placebo drug. Two sites with PPD greater than or equal to 5 mm after initial therapy and bleeding on probing se rved as surgical sites, whereas 2 similar sites were not exposed to su rgery. The study design was set up double-blind. The radiographic exam ination consisted of 2-4 standardized vertical bitewings obtained at t he periodontal re-evaluation (BL) at 1, 3 and 6 months postsurgically for digital subtraction and computer assisted densitometric image anal ysis (CADIA). The regions of interest analysed were mesial or distal c restal sites. Minimal remodelling activity was observed radiographical ly after periodontal surgery in both patient groups. There were no sta tistically significant differences between the four groups of sites re garding the mean changes in density when analysing the pairs of radiog raphs 0-1, 0-3, 0-6 months. A frequency analysis was performed to list the number of sites with different ranges of density change. No diffe rences in the distributions of the numbers of sites were observed when comparing the 4 site groups (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, p>0.05). A significa nt reduction of the probing pocket depth and a significant amount of c linical attachment gain was noted at the surgically treated sites irre spective of whether the patients had used flurbiprofen or placebo. Whe reas the pathways leading to bone resorption in periodontally diseased sites have been shown, in other studies, to be influenced by NSAID, t he results of the present study could not justify general administrati on of Froben((R)) for the purpose of reduction of bone resorption afte r periodontal surgical procedures in patients with adult periodontitis .