The limited value of three pathogen species in predicting healing of periodontal pockets

Author： Sewón Liisi Karjalainen Sára Söderling Eva Hyyppä Tuula Luukkala-Wardi Erja Mäkelä Marja Paunio Keijo Varrela Tiina

Publisher： Informa Healthcare

ISSN： 0001-6357

Source： Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, Vol.57, Iss.5, 1999-12, pp. : 267-270

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Abstract

Baseline level of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans has been suggested as being predictive of periodontal treatment outcome. We analysed the presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia in 55 deep periodontal pockets of 29 patients (18 men, 11 women, 37-75 years) before and after periodontal treatment. At baseline and after treatment, 62% and 33%, respectively, of the subjects presented with 1, 2, or a combination of all 3 pathogens. The mean pocket depth of 6.6 mm (0.4 mm) before treatment decreased to 2.2 mm (0.4 mm) in response to treatment (P < 0.001). The treatment plan of non-surgical or surgical treatment was based on pocket depths and tooth morphology only. No antimicrobial medications were used during the treatment. Eighty-two percent of the deep pockets healed satisfactorily to ≤4 mm. The presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, or Prevotella intermedia at baseline was not associated with the outcome of the periodontal therapy. In conclusion, we found that the presence of the 3 periodontopathogen species had little or no value in predicting healing of periodontal pockets.