Clinical effects of additional use of erythritol powder air polishing device on non-surgical periodontal treatment in moderate chronic periodontitis

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of erythritol powder air polishing device (EPAP) in addition to scaling and root planing (SRP) in non-surgical periodontal treatment in moderate chronic periodontitis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical evaluation was performed at 21 sites treated with SRP (control) and 21 sites treated with the addition of SRP+EPAP (test). All examinations were performed before treatment, 1 month after treatment, and 3 months after treatment. Depth of the periodontal pocket, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, plaque index, and bleeding of probing were measured as clinical parameters. RESULTS: In both test and control groups, there was a significant decrease in the depth of the periodontal pocket, plaque index, bleeding of probing, increased gingival recession, and gain of clinical attachment level at 1 month and 3 months after treatment. However, there was no significant clinical difference between the test group and the control group. Clinical result was improved after 1 month compared to the baseline; in contrast, results at 3 months after treatment were worse than at 1 month after treatment. CONCLUSION: In this study, we cannot suggest that SRP + EPAP is clinically more effective than SRP alone as non-surgical periodontal treatments. Periodic periodontal therapy, at intervals of at least every three months, is important for sustaining effects of this treatment.