One-stage full-mouth disinfection combined with a periodontal dressing: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

AIM: To compare the clinical benefit of a periodontal dressing applied after a one-stage full-mouth disinfection (OSFMD) in patients with chronic periodontitis up to 3 months after therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This randomized, controlled split-mouth study included 24 patients. After OSFMD, a test and a control side were selected by means of a computer-generated randomization list. Test sides received a periodontal dressing (Coepak((R)) ) for 7 days and the control sides received no periodontal dressing. After 7 days the periodontal dressing was removed and the pain experience was recorded. After 3 months, the clinical periodontal parameters were recorded. RESULTS: The periodontal dressing group showed a significant (p < 0.05) additional pocket depth reduction and additional clinical attachment gain for the moderate pockets of single- and multi-rooted teeth compared with the control group. A significant (p < 0.05) lower percentage of sites with probing pocket depth >/=5 mm were shown for the periodontal dressing group compared with the control group (2.7 +/- 16.3% versus 4.8 +/- 21.4%). The pain intensity was significantly reduced when using a periodontal dressing (5.13 +/- 0.89 versus 3.42 +/- 1.27). CONCLUSION: The use of a periodontal dressing for 7 days after a OSFMD offers an additional short-term clinical improvement and lowers the pain intensity.