Baseline probing depth and interproximal sites predict treatment outcomes of non-surgical periodontal therapy

Mu-Hsiung Chen; Huei-Jyun Yin; Hsuan-Hao Chang; Chih-Ting Kao; Che-Chang Tu; Yi-Wen Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jds.2019.08.008

Baseline probing depth and interproximal sites predict treatment outcomes of non-surgical periodontal therapy

J Dent Sci. 2020 Mar;15(1):50-58. doi: 10.1016/j.jds.2019.08.008. Epub 2019 Nov 15.

Authors

Mu-Hsiung Chen¹, Huei-Jyun Yin^{1

2}, Hsuan-Hao Chang¹, Chih-Ting Kao¹, Che-Chang Tu^{1

3}, Yi-Wen Chen^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Division of Dentistry, Renai Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Abstract

Background/purpose: The efficacy of non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) has been well discussed. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the baseline clinical periodontal parameters, radiographic defect angle, and interproximal site predict the treatment outcome of NSPT.

Materials and methods: A total of 39 patients who were diagnosed with generalized chronic periodontitis and met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. All patients received full-mouth periodontal examination by two well-trained periodontists. Clinical periodontal parameters, including probing depth (PD), recession (Rec), and clinical attachment level (CAL), were recorded, and vertical bitewing radiographs were taken as baseline data. Revaluation was performed after 4 weeks of non-surgical periodontal treatment. Pearson's correlation coefficient and multivariate logistic regression were performed to examine the association between favorable treatment outcome (PD reduction ≥ 3 mm) and various clinical parameters.

Results: A significant improvement was observed in PD reduction and CAL gain after NSPT. The radiographic defect angle was strongly correlated with baseline Rec, baseline CAL, and interproximal sites in teeth with a deeper PD. Baseline PD and interproximal sites emerged as significant prediction factors for favorable treatment outcome with a PD reduction of ≥3 mm.

Conclusion: Our study is the first to report that distal sites show wider radiographic angles with shallow infrabony defects and that pocket reduction is more obvious at distal sites than at mesial sites. These data provide evidence that baseline PD and interproximal sites may predict the treatment outcome of NSPT.

Keywords: Interproximal site; Non-surgical periodontal therapy; Probing depth; Radiographic defect angle; Treatment outcome.