Supportive periodontal therapy using mechanical instrumentation or 2% minocycline gel: a 12 month randomized, controlled, single masked pilot study

Objective: To compare the short-term performance of subgingival local delivery of 2% minocycline gel and conventional subgingival debridement in supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) patients. Methods: Forty adult patients having completed active treatment for moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis were included in a randomized, controlled, single masked maintenance care pilot study. Sites with residual pocket probing depths >= 5 mm and bleeding on probing were treated with either minocycline gel (minocycline-group) or scaling and root planing only (debridement-group) at baseline, 3, 6, and 9 months. Clinical and microbiological examinations were performed at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Resuylts: Full-mouth plaque and bleeding scores remained < 10% and < 20%, respectively, for both groups throughout the study. In both groups there was a persistent reduction in number of teeth and sites with probing pocket depths >= 5 mm (p < 0.05) with no significant differences between the groups. The prevalence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, and Prevotella nigrescens, remained at levels <= 10(5) in the majority of patients and sites in both groups. Conclusion: This pilot study failed to show a difference between local delivery of 2% minocycline gel as mono-therapy and traditional subgingival debridement in patients on SPT.