Prediction of loss to follow-up in long-term supportive periodontal therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Aim: This study examined the predictors of loss to follow-up in long-term supportive periodontal therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Methods: A total of 280 patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis in a tertiary care hospital in China were investigated and followed over the course of study. Questionnaires on clinical and demographic characteristics, self-efficacy for oral self-care and dental fear at baseline were completed. Participants were followed to determine whether they could adhere to long-term supportive periodontal therapy. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between clinical and demographic characteristics, self-efficacy for oral self-care, dental fear and loss to follow-up in long-term supportive periodontal therapy.

Results: The loss to follow-up in long-term supportive periodontal therapy was significantly associated with age [adjusted OR = 1.042, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.012-1.074, p = 0.006], severe periodontitis [adjusted OR = 4.892, 95%CI: 2.280-10.499, p<0.001], periodontal surgery [adjusted OR = 11.334, 95% CI: 2.235-57.472, p = 0.003], and middle and low-scoring of self-efficacy scale for self-care groups. The adjusted ORs of loss to follow-up for the middle- (54-59) and low-scoring groups (15-53) were 71.899 (95%CI: 23.926-216.062, p<0.001) and 4.800 (95% CI: 2.263-10.182, p<0.001), respectively, compared with the high-scoring SESS group (60-75).

Conclusion: Age, severity of periodontitis, periodontal surgery and the level of self-efficacy for self-care may be effective predictors of loss to follow-up in long-term supportive periodontal therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis.