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Aim: To evaluate site‐related changes in periodontal pocket depth (PPD) after non‐surgical periodontal therapy and to identify predictors for PPD changes in a retrospective patient data analysis. Materials and Methods: PPD, clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing, tooth mobility (TM), furcation involvement (FI), abutment status, adherence to supportive periodontal care (SPC) and SPC follow‐ups were obtained from fully documented patient data before periodontal therapy (baseline, T0), after active periodontal therapy (APT, T1) and during SPC (T2). PPD changes were classified into deteriorated or unchanged/improved at the site level. Multi‐level logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing PPD changes during SPC. Results: This retrospective study included 51 females and 65 males (mean T0 age: 54.8 ± 10.1 years, 25 smokers, 12 diabetics) suffering from Stage III/IV periodontitis. Evaluation outcome: T0/16,044 sampling sites/2674 teeth; T1/15,636/2606; T2/14,754/2459. During 9.0 ± 2.3 years SPC, PPD decreased (−1.33 ± 0.70 mm) by 21.8% of the sites, remained unchanged by 41.4% and increased (1.40 ± 0.78 mm) by 36.8%. Distopalatal FI (p <.001, odds ratio [OR]: 0.252, 95% confidence interval [CI] for OR: 0.118–0.540), residual pockets (p <.001, OR: 0.503, 95% CI: 0.429–0.590) and TM Degrees I–III (Degree I: p =.002, OR: 0.765, 95% CI: 0.646–0.905; Degree II: p =.006, OR: 0.658, 95% CI: 0.489–0.886; Degree III: p =.023, OR: 0.398, 95% CI: 0.180–0.879) correlated significantly with increasing PPD. Conclusions: Over 75% of PPD remained unchanged or increased during SPC. Distopalatal FI, TM Degrees I–III and residual pockets after APT lead to worsening of periodontal pockets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate tooth loss and the evolution of periodontal inflammatory parameters within a strict nonsurgically treated patient cohort with < 2 supportive periodontal care visits per year, defined as minimal periodontal basic care, of 2.5 to 10.7 years. Method and materials: Data for nonsurgically treated patients were checked for: complete periodontal examination data at baseline (T0), after active periodontal therapy (T1, and after ≥ 2.5 years of supportive periodontal care (T2); smoking, diabetes mellitus, age (at least 18 years), plaque and gingival indices, bleeding on probing, percentage of residual pockets, supportive periodontal care adherence, and number of supportive periodontal care visits were assessed as risk factors for tooth loss. Results: In total, 132 patients were included (76 female, mean age 56.7 ± 10.3 years), mean T1-T2: 4.5 ± 1.6 years. 26.5% of all patients lost 118 teeth (0.5 teeth/patient, 0.12 teeth/patient/year). Plaque and bleeding parameters were: mean plaque control record, 59.77 ± 28.07%; mean Papilla Bleeding Index, 47.46 ± 34.12%; mean bleeding on probing, 33.46 ± 21.52%. Supportive periodontal care duration (P = .013) and T2 bleeding on probing (P = .048) were identified as patient-related risk factors for tooth loss. Conclusion: Minimal periodontal basic care was characterized by elevated bleeding on probing, Papilla Bleeding Index, and plaque control record scores. This possibly highlights a lack of consequent applied surgical intervention (if needed) transitioning into regular supportive periodontal care, including insufficient patient behavioral changes regarding domestic oral hygiene procedures and possibly nonaddressed proinflammatory dietary habits as a negative effect. An apparently low tooth loss rate could be observed. The duration of supportive periodontal care was identified as a risk factor for tooth loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Plaque control by improved domestic oral hygiene is essential in periodontal treatment. However, changing treatment providers may interfere with building a dentist-patient relationship and in turn affect treatment success. The aim of this randomized, controlled, prospective short-term study was to determine the influence of either one or four different pre-graduate practitioners on patients' oral hygiene parameters during active periodontal therapy. Material and Methods: A total of 55 patients with periodontitis were allocated to two groups. Within the group "continuous treatment" (CT, n = 27), each patient was treated by one individual practitioner over the treatment period. For patients of the group "discontinuous treatment" (DT, n = 28), treatment in each session was performed by a different practitioner. Periodontal parameters (BOP, PBI, and PCR) were assessed at two timepoints: T1 (baseline) and T2 (end of active therapy). Results: With CT, the PBI improved in 93% of the patients, compared to 71% with DT (p = 0.048). T1-T2 intragroup analysis showed a statistically significant improvement of all observed clinical parameters with no differences in ∆PBI, ∆BOP, and ∆PCR. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a weak correlation between PCR and BOP of CT only. Conclusions: In the present study, improvement of all parameters was comparable between the groups. PBI, as a parameter displaying patient's domestic plaque control compliance, improved in more patients from CT than DT. This is possibly indicating an advantage of continuous treatment by one single practitioner. Clinical relevance: Treatment by either a single practitioner or by multiple, constantly changing practitioners might influence patients' compliance to modify their behaviour when medically necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]