THE EFFECTS ON CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS OF A SUBGINGIVALLY-PLACED REDOX AGENT IN A SLOW-RELEASE DEVICE

Adjunctive chemical agents can reduce the need for meticulous plaque c ontrol. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the periodontal treatment potential of subgingival application of the redox agent meth ylene blue in a slow-release device. This randomized, single-blind, sp lit-mouth study included 18 patients aged 35-57 years, with chronic ad ult periodontitis, pocketing of at least 5 mm and radiographic evidenc e of regular bone loss. All experimental sites received subgingival de bridement at day 0. Test sites received 32% w/w methylene blue in the slow release device at days 0 and 28. Clinical examination and microbi ological sampling were performed at days 0, 7, 28, 56 and 84. Clinical improvements were seen in both groups, but test sites shelved consist ently greater improvements, some of which were statistically significa nt (as determined by between-group comparisons utilising SNDs). Signif icant between-group differences in relation to baseline levels were se en in bleeding index at days 7 and 56, in probeable pocket depth at da y 56 and for the Perioscan BANA test at day 7. This pilot study thus s howed that adjunctive methylene blue in a slow-release device can prod uce greater clinical and microbiological improvements than subgingival debridement alone.