Complication and failure rates in patients treated for chronic periodontitis and restored with single crowns on teeth and/or implants

Objectives: To assess the biological and technical complication rates of single crowns on vital teeth (SC-V), endodontically treated teeth without post and core (SC-E), with a cast post and core (SC-PC) and on implants (SC-I). Material and methods: From 392 patients with chronic periodontitis treated and documented by graduate students during the period from 1978 to 2002, 199 were reexamined during 2005 for this retrospective cohort study, and 64 of these patients were treated with SCs. Statistical analysis included Kaplan–Meier survival functions and event rates per 100 years of object-time. Poisson regression was used to compare the four groups of crowns with respect to the incidence rate ratio of failures, and failures and complications combined over 10 years and the entire observation period. Results: Forty-one (64%) female and 23 (36%) male patients participated in the reexamination. At the time of seating the crowns, the mean patient age was 46.8 (range 24–66.3) years. One hundred and sixty-eight single unit crowns were incorporated. Their mean follow-up time was 11.8 (range 0.8–26.4) years. During the time of observation, 22 biological and 11 technical complications occurred; 19 SC were lost. The chance for SC-V (56) to remain free of any failure or complication was 89.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 76.1–95.4) after 10 years, 85.8% (95% CI 66–94.5) for SC-E (34), 75.9% for SC-PC (39), (95% CI 58.8–86.7) and 66.2% (95% CI 45.1–80.7) for SC-I (39). Over 10 years, 95% of SC-I remained free of failure and demonstrated a cumulative incidence of failure or complication of 34%. Compared with SC-E, SC-I were 3.5 times more likely to yield failures or complications and SC-PC failed 1.7 times more frequently than did SC-E. SC-V had the lowest rate of failures or complications over the 10 years. Conclusions: While SCs on vital teeth have the best prognosis, those on endodontically treated teeth have a slightly poorer prognosis over 10 years. Crowns on teeth with post and cores and implant-supported SCs displayed the highest incidence of failures and complications.

Significance of Periodontal Risk Assessment in the recurrence of periodontitis and tooth loss

Aim: To investigate the association of the Periodontal Risk Assessment (PRA) model categories with periodontitis recurrence and tooth loss during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) and to explore the role of patient compliance. Material and Methods: In a retrospective cohort, PRA was performed for 160 patients after active periodontal therapy (APT) and after 9.5 ± 4.5 years of SPT. The recurrence of periodontitis and tooth loss were analysed according to the patient's risk profile (low, moderate or high) after APT and compliance with SPT. The association of risk factors with tooth loss and recurrence of periodontitis was investigated using logistic regression analysis. Results: In 18.2% of patients with a low-risk profile, in 42.2% of patients with a moderate-risk profile and in 49.2% of patients with a high-risk profile after APT, periodontitis recurred. During SPT, 1.61 ± 2.8 teeth/patient were lost. High-risk profile patients lost significantly more teeth (2.59 ± 3.9) than patients with moderate- (1.02 ± 1.8) or low-risk profiles (1.18 ± 1.9) (Kruskal–Wallis test, p=0.0229). Patients with erratic compliance lost significantly (Kruskal–Wallis test, p=0.0067) more teeth (3.11 ± 4.5) than patients compliant with SPT (1.07 ± 1.6). Conclusions: In multivariate logistic regression analysis, a high-risk patient profile according to the PRA model at the end of APT was associated with recurrence of periodontitis. Another significant factor for recurrence of periodontitis was an SPT duration of more than 10 years.

Periodontitis: a future risk of acute coronary syndrome? A follow-up study over 3 years

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis has been associated with cardiovascular disease. We assess if the recurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) could be predicted by preceding medical and periodontal conditions. METHODS: A total of 165 consecutive subjects with ACS and 159 medically healthy, matched control subjects were examined and followed for 3 years. Periodontitis was defined by alveolar bone loss. Subgingival microbial samples were studied by the checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method. RESULTS: The recurrence of ACS was found in 66 of 165 (40.0%) subjects, and a first ACS event was found in seven of 159 (4.4%) subjects among baseline control subjects. Subjects who later had a second ACS event were older (P <0.001). Significantly higher serum levels of high-density lipoprotein (P <0.05), creatinine (P <0.01), and white blood cell (WBC) counts (P <0.001) were found in subjects with future ACS. Periodontitis was associated with a first event of ACS (crude odds ratio [OR]: 10.3:1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.1 to 17.4; P <0.001) and the recurrence of ACS (crude OR: 3.6:1; 95% CI: 2.0 to 6.6; P <0.001). General linear modeling multivariate analysis, controlling for age and the prediction of a future ACS event, identified that WBC counts (F = 20.6; P <0.001), periodontitis (F = 17.6; P <0.001), and serum creatinine counts (F = 4.5; P <0.05) were explanatory of a future ACS event. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that recurrent ACS events are predicted by serum WBC counts, serum creatinine levels, and a diagnosis of periodontitis. Significantly higher counts of putative pathogens are found in subjects with ACS, but these counts do not predict future ACS events.

Prediction of hip and hand fractures in older persons with or without a diagnosis of periodontitis

Purpose: In a prospective study, we assessed if a diagnosis of osteoporosis and periodontitis could predict hip and hand fractures in older persons. Materials and methods: Bone density was assessed by a Densitometer. Periodontitis was defined by evidence of alveolar bone loss. Results: 788 Caucasians (52.4% women, overall mean age: 76 years, S.D. +/- 9.0, range: 62 to 96) were enrolled and 7.4% had a hip/hand fracture in 3 years. Calcaneus PIXI T-values < - 1.6 identified osteoporosis in 28.2% of the older persons predicting a hip/hand fracture with an odds ratio of 3.3:1 (95% CI: 1.9, 5.7, p < 0.001). Older persons with osteoporosis had more severe periodontitis (p < 0.01). Periodontitis defined by >= 30% of sites with >= 5 mm distance between the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and bone level (ABL) was found in 18.7% of the older persons predicting a hip/hand fracture with an odds ratio of 1.8:1 (95% CI: 1.0, 3.3, p < 0.05). Adjusted for age, the odds ratio of a hip/hand fracture in older persons with osteoporosis (PIXI T-value <-2.5) and periodontitis was 12.2:1 (95% CI: 3.5, 42.3, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Older persons with osteoporosis and periodontitis have an increased risk for hip/hand fractures

A history of frequent dental care reduces the risk of tooth loss but not periodontitis in older subjects

OBJECTIVES: Information on the significance of dental care in older adults is limited. We hypothesized that regular dental visits has an effect on the number of remaining teeth and periodontal conditions in older subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1020 randomly selected individuals age 60 - 96 from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care Blekinge received a comprehensive oral health examination. RESULTS: Dentate women and men had, on average 18.4 teeth (SD +7.6,) and 18.9 teeth (SD + 7.5) respectively (NS). In the youngest group (60 and 66 years old) with less than one dental visit per year, 37% had >20 teeth, compared with 73% among those with at least annual visits. Among the old-old, comparable figures were 1.8 % and 37% respectively. Across age groups, bleeding on probing was 23 %.When adjusting for age, and number of teeth GLM univariate analysis failed to demonstrate an effect of dental visit frequency on alveolar bone loss (p = 0.18), the number of periapical lesions (p = 0.65), or the number of endodontically treated teeth ( p = 0.41). Frequent dental visitors had more teeth than infrequent visitors (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Tooth loss and alveolar bone loss severity increase with age. Individuals with regular dental visits retained more teeth but the frequency of dental visits had no impact on plaque deposits, gingival inflammation, or alveolar bone levels.

Osteoporosis and periodontitis in older subjects participating in the Swedish National Survey on Aging and Care (SNAC-Blekinge)

Abstract Objective. We assessed the relationships between (I) ultrasonography calcaneus T-scores (PIXI) and mandibular cortex characteristics on oral panoramic radiographs in older subjects; and (II) osteoporosis and periodontitis. Material and methods. We examined 778 subjects (53% women) aged 59-96 years. Periodontitis was defined by alveolar bone loss assessed from panoramic radiographs. Results. PIXI calcaneus T-values ?-2.5 (osteoporosis) were found in 16.3% of women and in 8.1% of men. PIXI calcaneus T-values <-1.6 (osteoporosis, adjusted) were found in 34.2% of women and in 21.4% of men. The age of the subjects and PIXI T-values were significantly correlated in women (Pearson's r = 0.37, P < 0.001) and men (Pearson's r = 0.19, P < 0.001). Periodontitis was found in 18.7% of subjects defined by alveolar bone level ?5 mm. Subjects with osteoporosis defined by adjusted PIXI T-values had fewer remaining teeth [mean difference 4.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.1 to -6.5, P < 0.001]. The crude odds ratio (OR) of an association between the panoramic assessment of mandibular cortex erosions as a sign of osteoporosis and the adjusted T-value (T-value cut-off <-1.6) was 4.8 (95% CI 3.1-7.2, P < 0.001; Pearson ?(2) = 60.1, P < 0.001). A significant OR between osteoporosis and periodontitis was only found in women for the T-value cut-off ?-2.5 (crude OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.3, P < 0.03). Conclusions. An association between osteoporosis and periodontitis was only confirmed in women. The likelihood that the mandibular cortex index agrees with adjusted PIXI T-values is significant.

Microbiologic findings 1 year after partial- and full-mouth scaling in the treatment of moderate chronic periodontitis

To investigate the impact on microbiologic variables of full-mouth scaling (FMS) and conventional scaling and root planing (cSRP) after 12 months.

Cleavage of IgG1 and IgG3 by gingipain K from Porphyromonas gingivalis may compromise host defense in progressive periodontitis

Degradation of immunoglobulins is an effective strategy of bacteria to evade the immune system. We have tested whether human IgG is a substrate for gingipain K of Porphyromonas gingivalis and found that the enzyme can hydrolyze subclass 1 and 3 of human IgG. The heavy chain of IgG(1) was cleaved at a single site within the hinge region, generating Fab and Fc fragments. IgG(3) was also cleaved within the heavy chain, but at several sites around the CH2 region. Investigation of the enzyme kinetics of IgG proteolysis by gingipain K, using FPLC- and isothermal titration calorimetry-based assays followed by Hill plots, revealed non-Michaelis-Menten kinetics involving a mechanism of positive cooperativity. In ex vivo studies, it was shown that gingipain K retained its IgG hydrolyzing activity in human plasma despite the high content of natural protease inhibitors; that IgG(1) cleavage products were detected in gingival crevicular fluid samples from patients with severe periodontitis; and that gingipain K treatment of serum samples from patients with high antibody titers against P. gingivalis significantly hindered opsonin-dependent phagocytosis of clinical isolates of P. gingivalis by neutrophils. Altogether, these findings underline a biological function of gingipain K as an IgG protease of pathophysiological importance.

Comparison of gingival crevicular fluid sampling methods in patients with severe chronic periodontitis

The analysis of samplings from periodontal pockets is important in the diagnosis and therapy of periodontitis. In this study, three different sampling techniques were compared to determine whether one method yielded samples suitable for the reproducible and simultaneous determination of bacterial load, cytokines, neutrophil elastase, and arginine-specific gingipains (Rgps). Rgps are an important virulence factor of Porphyromonas gingivalis, the exact concentration of which in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) has not been quantified.

Comparison of real-time polymerase chain reaction and DNA-strip technology in microbiological evaluation of periodontitis treatment

The impact of a semiquantitative commercially available test based on DNA-strip technology (microIDent®, Hain Lifescience, Nehren, Germany) on diagnosis and treatment of severe chronic periodontitis of 25 periodontitis patients was evaluated in comparison with a quantitative in-house real-time PCR. Subgingival plaque samples were collected at baseline as well as at 3, 6, and 12 months later. After extracting DNA, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, and several other periodontopathogens were determined by both methods. The results obtained by DNA-strip technology were analyzed semiquantitatively and additionally quantitatively by densitometry. The results for the 4 major periodontopathogenic bacterial species correlated significantly between the 2 methods. Samples detecting a high bacterial load by one method and negative by the other were always found in less than 2% of the total samples. Both technologies showed the impact of treatment on microflora. Especially the semiquantitative DNA-strip technology clearly analyzed the different loads of periodontopathogens after therapy and is useful in microbial diagnostics for patients in dental practices.

Elevated laser flare values correlate with complicated course of anterior uveitis in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

To evaluate the prognostic value of anterior chamber (AC) laser flare (LF) in uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).