Tae‐Ju Oh

Aim: To assess the prognostic value of soft tissue phenotype modification following root coverage procedures for predicting the long‐term (10‐year) behaviour of the gingival margin.Materials and Methods: Participants from six randomized clinical trials on root coverage procedures at the University of Michigan were re‐invited for a longitudinal evaluation. Clinical measurements were obtained by two calibrated examiners. A data‐driven approach to model selection with Akaike information criterion (AIC) was carried out via multilevel regression analyses and partial regression plotting for changes in the level of the gingival margin over time and interactions with the early (6‐month) results of soft tissue phenotypic modification.Results: One‐hundred and fifty‐seven treated sites in 83 patients were re‐assessed at the long‐term recall. AIC‐driven model selection and regression analyses demonstrated that 6‐month keratinized tissue width (KTW) and gingival thickness (GT) influenced the trajectory of the gingival margin similarly in a concave manner; however, GT was the driving determinant that predicted significantly less relapse in the treatments, with stability of the treated gingival margin obtained beyond values of 1.46 mm.Conclusions: Among a compliant patient cohort, irrespective of the rendered therapy, the presence of at least 1.5 mm KTW and 1.46 mm GT was correlated with the long‐term stability of the gingival margin.

Background: The crestal bone level and soft tissue dimension are essential for periodontal diagnosis and phenotype determination; yet, existing measurement methods have limitations. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the correlation and accuracy of ultrasound in measuring periodontal dimensions, compared to direct clinical and cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) methods.Methods: A 24‐MHz ultrasound probe prototype, specifically designed for intraoral use, was employed. Periodontal soft tissue dimensions and crestal bone levels were measured at 40 teeth and 20 single missing tooth gaps from 20 patients scheduled to receive a dental implant surgery. The ultrasound images were interpreted by two calibrated examiners. Inter‐rater agreement was calculated by using inter‐rater correlation coefficient (ICC). Ultrasound readings were compared with direct clinical and CBCT readings by using ICC and Bland‐Altman analysis.Results: The following six parameters were measured: 1) interdental papilla height (tooth), 2) mid‐facial soft tissue height (tooth), 3) mucosal thickness (tooth), 4) soft tissue height (edentulous ridge), 5) mucosal thickness (edentulous ridge), and 6) crestal bone level (tooth). Intra‐examiner calibrations were exercised to achieve an agreement of at least 0.8. ICC between the two readers ranged from 0.482 to 0.881. ICC between ultrasound and direct readings ranged from 0.667 to 0.957. The mean difference in mucosal thickness (tooth) between the ultrasound and direct readings was −0.015 mm (95% CI: −0.655 to 0.624 mm) without statistical significance. ICC between ultrasound and CBCT ranged from 0.654 to 0.849 among the measured parameters. The mean differences between ultrasound and CBCT range from −0.213 to 0.455 mm, without statistical significance.Conclusion: Ultrasonic imaging can be valuable for accurate and real‐time periodontal diagnosis without concerns about ionizing radiation.

Aim: To evaluate the long term root coverage outcomes of coronally advanced flap plus a connective tissue graft with (CAF + CTG) or without an epithelial collar (CAF + ECTG), and evaluate the adjacent treated sites included in the flap.Methods: Seventeen of the original 20 subjects included in the randomized clinical trial were available at 12 years (43 sites). Mean root coverage (mRC), keratinized tissue width (KTW), gingival thickness (GT) on the grafted and adjacent sites were evaluated and compared with baseline and 6 months.Result: There was a reduction in the mRC at all sites: 16.52% in the CAF + CTG (p > .05), 19.42% in the CAF + ECTG (p < .05) and 34.12% in the CAF‐alone (adjacent treated sites) group (p < .05). No significant differences were observed within the groups for changes in KTW, GT and clinical attachment level (CAL) (p > .05). Keratinized tissue width at baseline and at 6 months was found to be predictors for the stability of the gingival margin in the long term.Conclusions: CAF + CTG and CAF + ECTG were found equally efficacious in maintaining the levels of the gingival margin with a small amount of relapse over the period of 12 years while CAF‐alone sites showed a greater gingival recession (GR) reoccurrence.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory condition of the periodontium that leads to destruction of the supporting structures of the tooth, including loss of attachment and alveolar bone. A clinician's first line of treatment for periodontitis is traditionally mechanical periodontal therapy, including oral hygiene instructions together with scaling and root planing. How- ever, it has been shown that mechanical therapy may not always be effective in halting disease. Adjunctive chemotherapeutics, such as systemic antibiotics or host-modulating agents, may improve the treatment outcome of periodontitis. Using relevant terms such as “adjunctive antibiotics” and “systemic chemotherapeutics” in a manual search of the PubMed database, the authors have prepared a narrative review of the chemotherapeutics currently used in the field. Results of the search and review show that adjunctive antibiotics may be useful in cases of aggressive periodontitis, refractory periodontitis, and in some patients who are immunocompromised, such as heavy smokers or poorly controlled diabetics. Host-modulating agents are generally recommended only as the last resort and are limited to the use of submicrobial dose doxycycline. Microbial testing may be indicated, particularly in aggressive periodontitis cases or refractory cases. Using these results, a decision tree is provided for clinicians to determine when adjunctive chemotherapeutics may be indicated.

Foreign body gingivitis (FBG) is a non-plaque induced chronic inflammatory process involving the marginal and/or attached gingiva. It results from the introduction of foreign particulate material, primarily dental prophylaxis paste and restorative dental materials, into the gingival tissues. Clinical presentation varies from an erythematous to vesiculoerosive-like process that may mimic a localized form of desquamative gingivitis or an erosive lichenoid process. Rarely, it may also present with a granular appearance. We describe the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis and clinical management of a 52-year-old Woman who presented with localized chronic inflammation of the maxillary anterior and left posterior gingiva secondary to the presence of foreign material.

Background: The aim was to evaluate the effects of recombinant human platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (rhPDGF‐BB) and recombinant human fibroblast growth factor‐2 (rhFGF‐2) on treating periodontal intra‐bony defects, compared to the control (carrier alone).Methods: Electronic and hand searches were performed to identify eligible studies. The weighed mean differences of linear defect fill (LDF), probing depth (PD) reduction, clinical attachment level (CAL) gain and gingival recession (GR) were calculated using random effect meta‐analysis.Results: The searches yielded 1018 articles, of which seven studies were included. Only one included study was considered at low risk of bias. The outcomes that reached statistical significance in comparison to carriers alone included: LDF (0.95 mm, 95% CI: 0.62–1.28 mm or 20.17%, 95% CI: 11.81–28.54%) and CAL gain (0.34 mm, 95% CI: 0.03–0.65 mm) for PDGF, and LDF (21.22%, 95% CI: 5.82–36.61%) for FGF‐2.Conclusions: Within the limits of this review, rhPDGF‐BB demonstrated significantly more LDF and CAL gain; rhFGF‐2 resulted in significantly higher percentage of LDF.