Adherence to long‐term supportive periodontal therapy in groups with different periodontal risk profiles

Partnering with periodontal patients and care providers to establish research priorities for patient engagement in specialized periodontal care: A study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Periodontitis is highly prevalent and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including older adults, racial and ethnic minorities, and low-income individuals. While periodontal therapies are largely effective, patient engagement in periodontal care is problematic. The study describes in this protocol aims to identify the top ten research priorities or uncertainties for specialized periodontal care (SPC) that are most important to periodontal patients and care providers.

METHODS

The James Lind Alliance approach will guide the priority-setting partnership (PSP), which involves several steps: forming a PSP steering committee, gathering potential research uncertainties, summarizing the research uncertainties, verifying unanswered uncertainties, completing an interim priority setting survey, and facilitating a priority setting workshop. Study participants will be periodontal patients (n ~ 150) and care providers (n ~ 120), including general dentists, periodontists, and dental hygienists in Alberta, Canada. A steering committee representing the four stakeholder groups will oversee the study. Data on uncertainties from these groups will be gathered through two online surveys and focus groups. Demographic data (e.g., age, sex) will be collected to describe participants and ensure representation of all stakeholder groups. Uncertainties submitted by participants will be evaluated against the existing evidence gathered through a scoping review to determine if they have already been addressed. Unanswered uncertainties will be taken to a workshop where participants (n ~ 20) representing all the stakeholder groups will set the top ten research priorities. Data analysis will include descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study is expected to conclude in August 2026.

CONCLUSION

Study findings will be disseminated to raise awareness among researchers and funders on research priorities that matter most to patients and dental care providers regarding patient engagement in SPC.

Concordance and Clinical Outcomes Improvement Following Oral Hygiene Motivation: A Systematic Review and Report of the Workshop of the Italian Societies of Dental Hygiene

Aim: A workshop on concordance and oral hygiene was held in February 2024. To address the topic, a systematic review aimed at investigating the effectiveness of motivational interventions in improving oral hygiene and focusing on periodontal clinical indices outcomes was designed. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed and Scopus electronic databases to identify relevant articles published up to 2024. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies comparing motivational interventions targeting oral hygiene behaviours, with a focus on periodontal clinical indices. Twelve articles meeting the eligibility criteria were selected for analysis. Quality assessment and data extraction were performed systematically. Results: The synthesis of findings from the selected studies revealed a consistent positive effect of motivational interventions on periodontal clinical indices. These interventions encompassed various strategies, including educational sessions, personalized feedback and motivational interviewing. Improvement in indices such as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) and periodontal probing depth was observed following motivational interventions, despite the variety of motivational protocols employed. Conclusion: Motivational interventions are effective in enhancing oral hygiene practices and improving periodontal clinical indices. Tailored motivational approaches can serve as valuable tools in promoting oral health behaviours among individuals, potentially reducing the risk of periodontal diseases. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term sustainability and scalability of motivational interventions in diverse populations and settings.

Retrospective assessment of patients' risk for peri-implant diseases using the implant disease risk assessment (IDRA) tool: A cohort study

INTRODUCTION

The implant disease risk assessment (IDRA) tool was designed to assess an individual's risk of developing peri-implant diseases by evaluating and integrating multiple risk factors. This study aimed to evaluate the IDRA tool to determine the risk of developing peri-implant disease in patients rehabilitated with dental implants.

METHODS

A retrospective observational cross-sectional study was conducted, collecting data from 92 patients with 92 selected dental implants. Data included the history of periodontitis, sites with bleeding on probing (BoP), teeth and/or implants with probing depths (PDs) ≥ 5 mm, alveolar bone loss relative to the patient's age, susceptibility to periodontitis, the frequency of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT), the distance from the restorative margin (RM) of the implant-supported prosthesis to the marginal bone crest (MBC), and factors related to the prosthesis itself. Additionally, the validated instrument periodontal risk assessment (PRA) was employed for comparison. Statistical analyses utilized Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and ROC curve.

RESULTS

Outcomes indicated that 62 implants (67.4%) were classified as high-risk. Among the IDRA parameters, history of periodontitis was the primary factor contributing to an increased risk (p < 0.001). IDRA revealed high sensitivity (100%) and low specificity (63%) (AUC = 0.685; 95% CI: 0.554-0.816; p = 0.047), and there was a low agreement between the IDRA and PRA tools (Kappa = 0.123; p = 0.014). The peri-implant disease developed in 16 implants with 5.44 (±2.50) years of follow-up, however, no significant association was observed between the high- and low-medium risk groups and the occurrence of peri-implant diseases.

CONCLUSION

Most of the evaluated implants presented high IDRA risk. The IDRA tool exhibited high sensitivity and low specificity; no significant association was observed between the risk profile and the development of peri-implant diseases.

Changes in periodontal parameters of splinted versus non-splinted posterior teeth during ten years of supportive periodontal therapy - A retrospective evaluation

OBJECTIVES

To compare periodontal parameters of splinted posterior teeth versus control teeth over ten years of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) and to assess the survival rate of splints.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective data of 372 SPT-patients was screened for splints (composite/fiberglass-reinforced composite) in the posterior (molars/premolars) which were inserted at least ten years before due to increased tooth mobility. For each splinted tooth (test), a corresponding control tooth had to be present at the first SPT-session after splint insertion (T1). Data was assessed at T1 and ten years later (T2). Possible influencing covariates for splint survival (mobility degree/Eichner class) were tested by Cox regression. The change in clinical attachment level (ΔCAL), probing pocket depth (ΔPPD) and the testing of possible influencing covariates was analyzed by using mixed linear regression.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients (32 splints, 58 splinted teeth) were included. Ten test and two control teeth were lost. No differences were observed between ΔCAL and ΔPPD of test teeth compared to control teeth (ΔCAL -0.38 ± 1.90 vs. 0.20 ± 1.27 mm; ΔPPD -0.17 ± 1.18 vs. 0.10 ± 1.05 mm). Twenty-two splints fractured during the observation period (survival-rate: 31%). Mobility degree and Eichner class did not influence time until fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

Splinting of periodontally compromised and mobile posterior teeth does not have any disadvantage regarding the clinical periodontal situation when regular SPT is applied. However, splint fractures occur very often.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Splinting of posterior teeth is a treatment option in addition to active periodontal therapy when patients are disturbed by tooth mobility but splints have a high susceptibility to fracture.

Recent Clinical Treatment and Basic Research on the Alveolar Bone

The periodontal ligament is located between the bone (alveolar bone) and the cementum of the tooth, and it is connected by tough fibers called Sharpey’s fibers. To maintain healthy teeth, the foundation supporting the teeth must be healthy. Periodontal diseases, also known as tooth loss, cause the alveolar bone to dissolve. The alveolar bone, similar to the bones in other body parts, is repeatedly resorbed by osteoclasts and renewed by osteogenic cells. This means that an old bone is constantly being resorbed and replaced by a new bone. In periodontal diseases, the alveolar bone around the teeth is absorbed, and as the disease progresses, the alveolar bone shrinks gradually. In most cases, the resorbed alveolar bone does not return to its original form even after periodontal disease is cured. Gum covers the tooth surface so that it matches the shape of the resorbed alveolar bone, exposing more of the tooth surface than before, making the teeth look longer, leaving gaps between the teeth, and in some cases causing teeth to sting. Previously, the only treatment for periodontal diseases was to stop the disease from progressing further before the teeth fell out, and restoration to the original condition was almost impossible. However, a treatment method that can help in the regeneration of the supporting tissues of the teeth destroyed by periodontal diseases and the restoration of the teeth to their original healthy state as much as possible is introduced. Recently, with improvements in implant material properties, implant therapy has become an indispensable treatment method in dentistry and an important prosthetic option. Treatment methods and techniques, which are mainly based on experience, have gradually accumulated scientific evidence, and the number of indications for treatment has increased. The development of bone augmentation methods has contributed remarkably to the expansion of indications, and this has been made possible by various advances in materials science. The induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) cell technology for regenerating periodontal tissues, including alveolar bone, is expected to be applied in the treatment of diseases, such as tooth loss and periodontitis. This review focuses on the alveolar bone and describes clinical practice, techniques, and the latest basic research.

Periodontal maintenance: individual patient responses and discontinuations

Aim

There is a lack of data on long-term impact of different psychological variables on periodontitis. Aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of psychological factors in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP; according to the 1999 Classification of Periodontal Diseases) to explain adherence to or discontinuation of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) in a university setting.

Methods

A sample of n = 119 patients were examined in a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey. All patients had received active periodontal treatment (APT) and were reevaluated in a university setting (Kiel) before 2016 [T1: start SPT]. Patients who showed sufficient adherence to SPT of ≥ 2 years (maximum ± 6 months of deviation between SPT intervals, last visit and questionnaire at T2) were assigned to the adherence group (AG: n = 58), or, if they interrupted SPT or stopped treatment altogether, to the non-adherence group (NAG: n = 61). In addition to dental parameters, we assessed socio-demographic, treatment-related (critical attitudes/complaints), dental as well as psychological variables (especially psychological attachment, but also dental fear, patient participation style, personality functioning) and examined between-group differences as well as possible mediating factors of non-adherence to treatment continuation.

Results

For both groups we found similar average observation time (NAG/AG: 15.9(8.9)/14.9(10.6)years). There were significant differences in age, critical attitudes, dental fear, and patient participation style between the groups. With the help of exploratory sequential mediation models, we found a significant indirect pathway of the impact of attachment anxiety on discontinuation of treatment mediated through dental fear and number of critical attitudes/complaints.

Conclusion

Considering the limitations, dentists should be aware of personality-related risk-factors such as attachment anxiety as well as their interplay with levels of dental fear and critical attitudes which may influence adherence to SPT.

Trial registration: The clinical trial was retrospectively registered in the DRKS—German Clinical Trials Register (https://www.drks.de) with registration DRKS00030092 (26/08/2022).

Nonsurgical periodontal treatment in type II diabetics in a middle-income country: a cost-effectiveness analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the nonsurgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) compared with supragingival therapy in type II diabetics with periodontitis.

METHODS

A decision tree analysis was used to estimate the costs and health outcomes of two periodontal therapies in a hypothetical cohort of type II diabetics with periodontitis. The analysis was developed from the perspective of a third-party payer at 1 year and 5 years. Probabilities were derived from two systematic reviews. The costs and resource use were validated by a Delphi expert panel. All costs were expressed in USD, using the 25 May 2021 Colombian pesos market exchange rate (USD 1 = COP 3,350).

RESULTS

NSPT was a dominant alternative compared with subsidized supragingival therapy in type II diabetics with periodontitis, generating savings of USD 87 and 400, during the first year or up to 5 years, respectively, and improving dental survival from 32 to 69 percent.

CONCLUSIONS

NSPT can generate savings by reducing the complications derived from uncontrolled periodontitis and tooth loss.

At least 3 years of self-responsibility for periodontal care after 2 years of supportive periodontal therapy

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the periodontal condition when patients became self-responsible for the continuation of periodontal care, after non-surgical periodontal therapy and 2 years of Supportive Periodontal Therapy (SPT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-seven patients completed a previous 2-year SPT study and were afterward advised to seek for dental assistance for maintenance care. After 4.2 ± 0.45 years of self-responsibility for periodontal care (SRPC), 27 patients could be re-examined of which 9 patients had followed the advice to turn to a dental professional for SPT care. Visible Plaque (VPI), Gingival Bleeding (GBI), Periodontal Probing Depth (PPD), Bleeding on probing (BOP), and Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL) were obtained from SPT study: before and after non-surgical treatment, and after 2 years of SPT. The same parameters were reassessed for the present study. General linear models for repeated measures were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

At the end of the SRPC period, mean GBI, BOP, and PPD values (43.5%, 55.7%, 2.76 mm, respectively) were back to pre-treatment, whereas VPI (64.3%) and CAL (3.76 mm) became significantly higher. The percentage of sites with PPD ≥5 mm as well as sites with CAL ≥4 or ≥5 mm also returned to pre-treatment values. However, the percentage of sites with PPD ≥4 mm was still significantly lower compared to pre-treatment values but higher than after 2 years of SPT.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-responsibility for the continuation of periodontal care after professional treatment should be avoided.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Clinicians and specialists must be conscious of making all efforts to maintain the patient's frequent recalls.

Comparison of Two Risk Assessment Scores in Predicting Peri-Implantitis Occurrence during Implant Maintenance in Patients Treated for Periodontal Diseases: A Long-Term Retrospective Study

Background: There is a need for reliable risk assessment tools to better predict peri-implantitis occurrence. This study compared the long-term prognosis value of two models of risk assessment scoring in predicting peri-implantitis. Methods: Seventy-three patients with treated periodontitis representing 232 implants and attending long-term implant maintenance were evaluated. The Periodontal Risk Assessment (PRA) score, which combines only periodontal risk factors/indicators, and the Implant Risk Assessment (IRA) score, which combines both periodontal and implant risk factors/indicators, were calculated during implant maintenance. Peri-implantitis was defined by the presence of probing depth ≥6 mm with bleeding on probing/suppuration and bone level ≥3 mm. Analyses were performed at the patient level. Results: The mean implant follow-up was 6.5 years. Peri-implantitis incidence was 17.8%, and high-risk PRA and IRA percentages were 36.9% and 27.3%, respectively. High-risk PRA and IRA were significantly associated with peri-implantitis incidence, with hazard ratio (HR) = 4.8 and 3.65, respectively. Risk factors/indicators considered separately showed reduced associations with peri-implantitis. Conclusions: The PRA score combining periodontal parameters and IRA score combining both periodontal and implant parameters have comparable value in predicting peri-implantitis. These scores could allow practicians to intercept the risk of peri-implantitis and to manage follow-up modalities in patients with treated periodontitis.

Oral Health Behaviour and Predictors of Oral Health Behaviour Among Patients With Diabetes in the Republic of Mauritius

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the oral care habits and assess the determinants of oral care behaviour among people with diabetes in the Republic of Mauritius.

METHODS

The present study draws on data collected from 589 dentate persons with diabetes by means of a close-ended questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association of different demographic and clinical factors with recommended dental hygiene practices.

RESULTS

The majority of the participants brushed at least twice daily (84.2%), never flossed (88.6%), attended dental clinics on need only (87.1%), and did not monitor their blood glucose levels regularly (69.9%). Neither awareness about the increased risk of periodontal disease and xerostomia nor receiving advice from diabetes care providers was found to be associated with good oral hygiene or increased service utilisation. The experience of oral diseases did not encourage recommended oral health practice, with participants without experience with periodontal disease being 3 times more likely to floss (odds ratio [OR], 2.9; P = .045). Regular dental visits were strongly associated with self-reported type 1 diabetes (OR, 7.8; P = .025). Participants from urban areas were more than twice as likely to visit their dental care provider at least once annually (OR, 2.3; P = .006). Regular dental attendance (OR, 3.7; P = .011) and flossing (OR, 4.5; P = .012) were strongly associated with one another.

CONCLUSION

There is widespread noncompliance with regular flossing and dental service utilisation. Our findings highlight the need for an emphasis on preventive care through the provision of integrated medical and dental interventions to high-risk individuals suffering from both diabetes and chronic periodontitis.

Reconstructive treatment of peri-implantitis infrabony defects of various configurations: 5-year survival and success

Aim

To present the 5 years outcomes of a reconstructive surgical protocol for peri‐implantitis defects with different morphologies, by means of deproteinized bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen (DBBMC).

Material and Methods

The original population of this case series consisted of 75 patients with one crater‐like defect and probing depth (PD) ≥6 mm. After flap elevation, defects were assigned to one characteristic class and treated by means of DBBMC. Following healing, patients were enrolled in an individualized supportive periodontal/peri‐implant (SPT) program.

Results

Fifty‐one patients reached the 5 years examination, as 11 patients were lost to follow‐up and 13 implants were removed. Overall treatment success was registered in 29 patients (45.3%). Mean PD and BOP significantly decreased at one year and remained stable for the rest of observation period. No correlation was found between implant survival rate and defect configuration (p = 0.213). Patients, who did not fully adhere to the SPT, experienced more complications and implant loss than those who regularly attended recall appointments (p = 0.009).

Conclusions

The proposed reconstructive treatment resulted in a high 5 years implant survival rate in patients who fully adhered to SPT. The resolution of the peri‐implantitis defect does not seem significantly associated with the defect configuration at the time of treatment.

Tooth loss in complying and non-complying periodontitis patients with different periodontal risk levels during supportive periodontal care

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate yearly tooth loss rate (TLR) in periodontitis patients with different periodontal risk levels who had complied or not complied with supportive periodontal care (SPC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from 168 periodontitis patients enrolled in a SPC program based on a 3-month suggested recall interval for at least 3.5 years were analyzed. For patients with a mean recall interval within 2-4 months ("compliers") or > 4 months ("non-compliers") with different PerioRisk levels (Trombelli et al. 2009), TLR (irrespective of the cause for tooth loss) was calculated. TLR values were considered in relation to meaningful TLR benchmarks from the literature for periodontitis patients either under SPC (0.15 teeth/year; positive benchmark) or irregularly complying with SPC (0.36 teeth/year; negative benchmark).

RESULTS

In both compliers and non-compliers, TLR was significantly below or similar to the positive benchmark in PerioRisk level 3 (0.08 and 0.03 teeth/year, respectively) and PerioRisk level 4 (0.12 and 0.18 teeth/year, respectively). Although marked and clinically relevant in non-compliers, the difference between TLR of compliers (0.32 teeth/year) and non-compliers (0.52 teeth/year) with PerioRisk level 5 and the negative benchmark was not significant.

CONCLUSION

A SPC protocol based on a 3- to 6-month recall interval may effectively limit long-term tooth loss in periodontitis patients with PerioRisk levels 3 and 4. A fully complied 3-month SPC protocol seems ineffective when applied to PerioRisk level 5 patients.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

PerioRisk seems to represent a valid tool to inform the SPC recall interval as well as the intensity of active treatment prior to SPC enrollment.

Understanding the microbial components of periodontal diseases and periodontal treatment-induced microbiological shifts

In the mid-1960s the microbial aetiology of periodontal diseases was introduced based on classical experimental gingivitis studies . Since then, numerous studies have addressed the fundamental role that oral microbiota plays in the initiation and progression of periodontal diseases. Recent advances in laboratory identification techniques have contributed to a better understanding of the complexity of the oral microbiome in both health and disease. Modern culture-independent methods such as human oral microbial identification microarray and next-generation sequencing have been used to identify a wide variety of microbial taxa residing in the gingival sulcus and the periodontal pocket. The first theory of the 'non-specific plaque' hypothesis gave rise to the 'ecological plaque' hypothesis and more recently to the 'polymicrobial synergy and dysbiosis hypothesis'. Periodontitis is now considered to be a multimicrobial inflammatory disease in which the various bacterial species within the dental biofilm are in a dysbiotic state and this imbalance favours the establishment of chronic inflammatory conditions and ultimately the destruction of tooth-supporting tissues. Apart from the known putative periodontal pathogens, the whole biofilm community is now considered to play a role in the establishment of inflammation and the initiation and progression of periodontitis in a susceptible host. Treatment is unlikely to eliminate putative pathogens but, when it is thoroughly performed it has the potential to establish a healthy ecosystem by altering the microbial community in numbers and composition and also contribute to the maturation of the host immune response.

Changes of clinical parameters at implants: A retrospective comparison of implants versus natural teeth over 5 years of supportive periodontal therapy

OBJECTIVES

To compare clinical parameters of implants versus natural teeth over a period of 5 years during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 421 SPT patients were screened for implants (I) and corresponding control teeth (C). Data (patient level [_P ]: sex, age, smoking status, systemic diseases, adherence, oral hygiene indices, mean probing depth [PD]_P , bleeding on probing [BOP]_P , periodontal risk profile; implant/control tooth level [_I/C ]: PD_I/C , BOP_I/C ; site level at implants [_SITE ]: position, dental arch, aspect, BOP_SITE ) were assessed at the first SPT session where the implant was probed (T1) and 5 years later (T2). The influence of patient and implant/control-related factors on PD_I/C /BOP_I/C was tested (linear mixed model) as well as the influence of site-specific factors on the PD_SITE change (multilevel regression).

RESULTS

A total of 70 patients (151 implants) were included. Mean PD_I was 2.75 ± 0.85 mm (T1) and 2.87 ± 0.79 mm (T2). Mean PD_C was 2.42 ± 0.66 mm (T1) and 2.49 ± 0.71 mm (T2). BOP_I increased from 8.62 ± 15.01% (T1) to 24.06 ± 26.79% (T2) and BOP_C from 9.97 ± 17.78% (T1) to 15.52 ± 22.69% (T2). The differences between implants and controls were significant for BOP (p = .0032). At T2, BOP_I/C was associated with periodontal risk (p = .0351). The site-specific analysis revealed an association of BOP_SITE at T1 with the progression of PD_SITE (p = .0058).

CONCLUSIONS

Probing depths of implants and controls seem to change similarly during SPT but retention of inflammation-free conditions at implants appears to be more difficult compared to natural teeth. Patients with a high-risk profile appear to have an increased susceptibility for BOP around implants, and BOP at implants seems to be a predictor for further PD increase.