Antimicrobial irrigation of periodontal furcation lesions to supplement oral hygiene instruction and root debridement

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of subgingival irrigations with tetracycline as a supplement to mechanical plaque control and root debridement on clinical conditions of periodontal furcation pockets. 20 subjects with molar teeth having furcation pockets of varying depths and different grades of furcation involvement served for the study. Following oral hygiene instruction and root debridement at baseline, test teeth were irrigated subgingivally by a professional with a solution of 50 mg/ml of tetracycline, and control teeth with saline every 2nd week for 3 months. Records of dental plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depth and probing attachment level were obtained at 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. The results failed to demonstrate any significant differences between test and control teeth for any of the subgroups of furcation sites at any observation interval. It is suggested that future studies may need to be performed over longer periods of time, and that the antimicrobial agents may need to be administered in vehicles, which provide prolonged periods of active subgingival concentrations.