A split-mouth clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effect of treating deep wide buccal gingival recession with guided tissue regeneration using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane combined with tetracycline HCl (TTC) root conditioning and fibrin-fibronectin sealing system (FFSS) application. Eight patients, aged 25 to 57 years, each presenting two similar mucogingival defects, were selected. The two bilateral recessions were randomly assigned in each patient to either test or control treatment procedure. After initial therapy, each patient was examined for assessment of plaque, gingivitis, recession depth (RD), probing depth (PD), probing attachment level (PAL), and keratinized tissue width (KT). The test procedure included the elevation of mucoperiosteal flap at the buccal aspect of the alveolar process. The root was debrided and demineralized with 100 mg/ml TTC solution for 4 minutes using a burnishing technique with cotton pellets. A teflon membrane was secured and a film of FFSS was applied between the membrane and the root surface. The buccal flap was sutured to completely submerge the membrane. Control treatment included gingival flap surgery with barrier membrane alone. After 6 weeks, the membrane was removed. Healing was evaluated 6 months after surgery. Both test and control procedures resulted in highly significant recession reduction (3.0 mm +/- 1.1 and 2.6 mm +/- 1.2, respectively) and attachment gain (3.6 mm +/- 1.7 and 2.6 mm +/- 1.1, respectively). Mean root coverage was of 67% in the TTC + FFSS treated sites and 60% in membrane-only treated sites. However, only treatment with TTC + FFSS significantly reduced PD and increased KT (P < 0.05). When treatments were compared, changes in PD and PAL were significantly greater in TTC + FFSS treated sites (P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate surface characteristics of periodontitis-exposed instrumented human cementum and dentin surfaces following topical application of tetracycline HCl (TTC). Specimens were randomly assigned to application of sterile saline for 1 minute (control); TTC (10 mg/ml) for 1 minute and 4 minutes, respectively; and TTC (100 mg/ml) for 1 minute and 4 minutes, respectively. Solutions were applied with a cotton pellet using a burnishing technique. Control specimens exhibited an amorphous irregular surface smear layer. TTC treatment of cementum for 1 minute resulted in a relatively debris-free, nonhomogeneous surface. The 4-minute application resulted in a surface exhibiting a densely fibrillar, mat-like texture. Dentin specimens conditioned for 1 minute showed a smooth surface with many tubule openings partially occluded by debris. The 4-minute treatment exposed a 3-dimensional network of intertubular and peritubular collagen fibrils. No consistent morphologic differences were observed between cementum or dentin specimens treated with TTC at concentrations of 10 and 100 mg/ml, respectively. The results suggest that topical application of TTC produces morphologic alterations of periodontitis-exposed cementum and dentin that appear related to application interval rather than concentration of the drug.

The 12-week use of a AmF/SnF2-containing mouthrinse as an adjunct to conventional mechanical oral hygiene procedures in GAP patients was effective in controlling the amount of supragingival plaque deposits.

A double-blind, randomized, single-dose clinical trial to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of preoperative ketorolac tromethamine administration on periodontal postoperative pain was designed. One group received 20 mg ketorolac immediately before periodontal flap surgery, and the other group received placebo. Naproxen sodium was allowed postoperatively as rescue medication. The visual analog scale was used to estimate pain. Postoperative pain was assessed hourly for the first 10 h on the day of surgery, and 4 x daily on the 1st and 2nd postsurgical days. Timing and dose of rescue analgesic remedication were also recorded. Results indicated that preoperative treatment with ketorolac significantly reduced initial pain intensity and delayed the onset of postoperative pain as compared to placebo. Incidence and amount of naproxen consumption was similarly small in both ketorolac- and placebo-treated groups. No adverse reactions related to preoperative medication were observed.

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