Local delivery of antimicrobial drugs in the treatment of chronic adult periodontitis.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiologic results of local delivery of adjunctive antimicrobials in the treatment and management of patients with periodontitis.

Methods: The study population included 33 patients (age range, 37-49 years), with chronic adult periodontitis. Eleven of 33 received local treatment with 10% doxycycline injected directly into the periodontal pocket; 11 received local treatment with a chlorhexidine-based gel (1.5%) in situ; 11 received mechanical treatment with scaling and root planing. The crevicular fluid of the doxycycline-treated group was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography over a period of 1 month.

Results: In the 11 patients treated with an antibiotic we observed a reduction in attachment loss and a reduction in probing depth of 1.4 mm; in the 11 chlorhexidine-treated patients we observed a reduction in attachment loss and a reduction in probing depth of 0.9 mm; in the remaining 11 patients the reduction in attachment loss and probing depth was less than those measured in the other two treatment groups.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that direct delivery of antimicrobial agents to the infection site may be a useful adjunctive to conventional periodontal treatment.