Orthodontic treatment in periodontally compromised patients: 12-year report

This work describes the therapeutic protocol of combined orthodontic-period ontal treatment and evaluates the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical periodontal therapy in the maintenance of a healthy periodontal status aft er the orthodontic treatment. Surgical periodontal treatment was performed in 267 patients affected by severe periodontal disease, and 128 patients ha d nonsurgical treatment. For each patient the mean value of probing depth ( mPPD) and the rate of positive bleeding on probing (%BoP) of the teeth invo lved in the orthodontic movement were registered before the start of the pe riodontal treatment, at the end of the orthodontic treatment, and 2, 4, 6, 10, and 12 years after the end of the orthodontic treatment. Comparison bet ween pretreatment and posttreatment values and between pretreatment and fol low-up values showed a decrease in mPPD and %BoP that was of statistical si gnificance. The difference between posttreatment and follow-up values was n ot statistically significant. These results suggest that orthodontic treatm ent is no longer a contraindication in the therapy of severe adult periodon titis. In these cases orthodontics improve the possibilities of saving and restoring a deteriorated dentition.