Gingival crevicular fluid levels of human beta-defensin 1 in individuals with and without chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Human beta-defensins (hBDs) contribute to innate immunity antimicrobial activity. They are also effective in the adaptive immune response and may play a crucial role in the susceptibility to diseases of the oral cavity. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of hBD-1 in the gingival crevicular fluid of individuals with and without chronic periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty periodontally healthy individuals (H) and 20 individuals with chronic periodontitis were recruited. Gingival crevicular fluid samples were collected from: healthy sites (Hh) from periodontally healthy individuals; and healthy sites (Ph), sites with gingivitis (Pg), and sites with periodontitis (Pp) from individuals with periodontitis. The levels of hBD-1 (pg/mL) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Comparisons of hBD-1 between individuals (H and chronic periodontitis) and among sites (Hh, Ph, Pg, Pp) were performed through hierarchical linear modeling. RESULTS: Gingival crevicular fluid levels of hBD-1 were: Hh = 229.52 ± 138.96 (median 199.26), Ph = 53.88 ± 58.17 (median 35.75), Pg = 57.11 ± 40.18 (median 39.90) and Pp = 55.31 ± 37.28 (median 54.19). No influence of site diagnosis (level 1; health/gingivitis/periodontitis) was observed; however, individual diagnosis (level 2; health/periodontitis) influenced the levels of hBD-1 (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Periodontally healthy individuals showed higher gingival crevicular fluid levels of hBD-1 when compared to individuals with chronic periodontitis. This suggests a potential protective role of hBD-1 in the susceptibility to chronic periodontitis.

Tooth loss in individuals under periodontal maintenance therapy: 5-year prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Tooth loss (TL), one of the most visible results of the evolution of periodontitis, causes physiological and psychological impacts on a patient's life. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence, underlying reasons and influence of risk predictors for the occurrence of TL in a program of periodontal maintenance therapy (PMT) over 5 years. METHODS: The sample comprised 212 individuals diagnosed with chronic moderate-severe periodontitis, who had finished active periodontal treatment, were incorporated in a PMT program. Individuals were divided in to two groups: 96 regular compliers (RC) and 116 irregular compliers (IC). Full-mouth periodontal examination was performed. Social, demographic, behavioral and biological variables of interest were collected at all PMT visits. The effect of risk predictors and confounders for TL, as well as the underlying reasons of TL, were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: TL was significantly lower among RC (0.12 teeth lost/year) in comparison to IC (0.36 teeth lost/year; p < 0.01). Individuals that were > 55 years old, males and smokers lost significantly more teeth in both groups (with IC > RC). The number of teeth lost due to periodontal reasons was significantly higher than TL for other reasons in both groups (p < 0.01). The final linear and logistic model for TL included: male gender, smoking, probing depth 4-6 mm in up to 10% of sites and irregular compliance. CONCLUSION: IC individuals undergoing PMT presented higher rates of TL when compared to RC individuals. Findings demonstrated the influence of irregular compliance and the importance of monitoring other risk predictors for TL such as smoking, male gender and severity of probing depth during PMT.

Association between personality traits and quality of life in patients treated with conventional mandibular dentures or implant-supported overdentures.

Studies investigating the relationship between personality traits and quality of life related to the types of dental prostheses are scarce. The aim of the present study was to assess personality traits and their impact on quality of life for individuals treated with either conventional mandibular dentures (CMD) or implant-supported overdentures. Fifty patients with CMD and 50 patients with implant-supported mandibular overdentures (IMOD) were recruited. Individuals were examined; clinical and demographic data of interest were collected. All participants agreed to answer two questionnaires: the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), which assessed quality of life related to oral health, and the Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five-Factors Inventory (NEO FFI-R), which evaluated five personality domains. The influence of variables of interest on oral health-related quality of life was tested by univariate analysis and multiple linear regression. Patients with CMD reported higher levels of impact on quality of life (OHIP-14=10·30 ± 5·88) when compared to patients with IMOD (OHIP-14=6·52 ± 5·91; P=0·002). Multivariate predictive regression model for quality of life included neuroticism, conscientiousness and gender for the conventional mandibular denture group (P<0·05; R(2)=36·59%), whereas neuroticism, openness and schooling (P<0·05; R(2)=21·09%) were included in the implant-supported mandibular denture group model. Patients with IMOD had less impact on quality of life than patients with CMD. Personality traits, mainly neuroticism, had a significant influence on oral health-related quality of life linked to a chosen modality of prosthetic therapy.