Effect of Periodontal Dressing on Surgical Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis

Abstract

Background: Periodontal dressing is used in many kinds of periodontal surgery and  showed positive outcomes for placing over the surgical sites . However, little is known about its effect on the surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis.

The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate , in a split mouth design , the clinical effects and postoperative pain of periodontal dressing when used after the surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis.

Methods : Eighteen systemically healthy patients (11 males and 7 females, aged 31 to 47) with moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis participated in the study between the years 2015 and 2016. Each patient require comparable bilateral flap procedures . All patients received initial therapy, which included scaling, and oral hygiene instructions. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival recession (GR) were recorded prior to surgery. After periodontal flap surgery the test sides received a periodontal dressing (Vocopac) and the control sides received no periodontal dressing. Postoperative pain experience was assessed for two days after surgery using the numerical rating scale and after 7 days the periodontal dressing and sutures were removed. After 3 months, the clinical periodontal parameters were recorded.

Results: No differences in any of the investigated parameters were observed at baseline between the two groups. Healing was uneventful in all patients. Both treatment procedures led to significant changes of  probing depth reduction ( test 2.96±1.04 mm, control 2.23±1.33mm), clinical attachment gain (test 1.97±0.89 mm, control 1.27±0.79mm) , and gingival recession ( test 0.99±0.41mm, control 0.96±0.57mm). The periodontal dressing group showed a significant additional pocket depth reduction and additional clinical attachment gain and patients reported significantly less pain postoperatively when the dressing was used .

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the use of a periodontal dressing for 7 days after surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis produced a significantly more favorable clinical improvement compared to flap surgery alone, and lowers the pain intensity.