Ian Needleman

A systematic review of definitions of periodontitis and methods that have been used to identify this disease

OBJECTIVE To perform a systematic review and critical analysis of the definitions of periodontitis and the methods which have been used to identify and measure this disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS Relevant publications were identified after searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCISEARCH and LILACS electronic databases. Screening of titles and abstracts and data extraction was conducted independently by two reviewers. To be included in the review, studies were required to define periodontitis and to indicate how it was measured. Studies that related purely to gingivitis, and/or intervention studies, and/or studies where prevalence or severity of periodontitis was not a principal outcome were excluded. RESULTS From a total of 34,72 titles and abstracts, 104 potentially relevant full text papers were identified. Of these, 15 met the criteria for inclusion in the final stage of the review. The survey revealed heterogeneity between the studies in the measurement tools used, particularly the types of probes and the sites and areas of the mouth that were assessed. There was also heterogeneity in the use of clinical attachment loss (CAL) and pocket probing depth (PPD) as criteria for periodontitis. In the 15 studies, the threshold for a diagnosis of periodontitis when CAL was the criterion ranged from 2 to > or =6 mm and when PPD was used, from 3 to > or =6 mm. CONCLUSIONS This review has confirmed previous work which has suggested that epidemiological studies of periodontal diseases are complicated by the diversity of methodologies and definitions used. The studies that were reviewed utilized a minimum diagnostic threshold defining periodontitis, at a given site in terms of CAL of 2 mm and PPD of 3 mm.

Systematic review of implant outcomes in treated periodontitis subjects

OBJECTIVES To determine implant outcomes in partially dentate patients who have been treated for periodontitis compared with periodontally healthy patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS All longitudinal studies (until March 2006) of endosseous dental implants of at least 6 months of loading were searched. Studies presented with one or more of the outcome measures (implant survival, success, bone-level change, peri-implantitis) were included. Screening, data abstraction and quality assessment were conducted independently and in duplicate. RESULTS From 4448 citations, 546 full-text papers were screened and nine studies were included. Overall, the non-periodontitis patients demonstrated better outcomes than treated periodontitis patients. However, the strength of evidence showed that the studies included were at a medium to high risk of bias, with lack of appropriate reporting and analysis of outcomes plus lack of accounting for confounders, especially smoking. Furthermore, the studies showed variability in the definitions of treated and non-periodontitis, outcome criteria and quality of supportive periodontal therapy. Meta-analysis could not be performed due to heterogeneity of the chief study characteristics. CONCLUSIONS There is some evidence that patients treated for periodontitis may experience more implant loss and complications around implants than non-periodontitis patients. Evidence is stronger for implant survival than implant success; methodological issues limit the potential to draw robust conclusions.

The design and analysis of split‐mouth studies: What statisticians and clinicians should know

The split-mouth design is a popular design in oral health research. In the most common split-mouth study, each of two treatments are randomly assigned to either the right or left halves of the dentition. The attractiveness of the design is that it removes a lot of inter-individual variability from the estimates of the treatment effect. However, already about 20 years ago the pitfalls of the design have been reported in the oral health literature. Yet, many clinicians are not aware of the potential problems with the split-mouth design. Further, it is our experience that most statisticians are not even aware of the existence of this design. Since most of the critical remarks appeared in the oral health literature, we argue that it is necessary to introduce the split-mouth design to a statistical audience, so that both clinicians and statisticians clearly understand the advantages, limitations, statistical considerations, and implications of its use in clinical trials and advise them on its use in practice.

In vitro assessment of bioadhesion for periodontal and buccal drug delivery

Bioadhesion could significantly improve oral therapeutics for periodontal diseases and mucosal lesions. This project was designed to examine the factors important to prolonged adhesion (adhesion time) in organ culture under standardized conditions. A wide variety of bioadhesives were tested in the model and the effect of mucin was also examined. Whilst many gels adhered for 1-5 h, others (chitosan and Eudispert) showed no retention loss over 4 d. Histologically, chitosan also showed excellent tissue wetting properties. For most materials, however, mucin significantly reduced adhesion times (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the absence of mucin, the control of gel hydration and swelling, and wetting characteristics were identified as key factors for prolonged adhesion.

Quality of RCTs in Periodontology— A Systematic Review

Randomization, concealment of treatment allocation, blinding, and patient follow-up are key quality components of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The objective of this study was to assess the quality of RCTs in periodontology using these evidence-based components. Following a detailed search, screening and quality assessments of RCTs were conducted in duplicate and independently. The results showed that although 91% of trials were described as randomised, adequate methods for randomization and allocation concealment were found in 17% and 7% of studies, respectively. Blinding was adequate for the caregiver in 17% and for the examiner in 55% of studies. A clear accounting of all participants was present in 56% of reports. This rigorous systematic review revealed that the quality of RCTs in periodontology, judged by their publications, frequently does not meet recommended standards. If this quality is reflected in actual study conduct, fundamental errors could have a significant impact on the outcomes of these trials.

Principles in prevention of periodontal diseases Consensus report of group 1 of the 11th European Workshop on Periodontology on effective prevention of periodontal and peri-implant diseases

AIMS In spite of the remarkable success of current preventive efforts, periodontitis remains one of the most prevalent diseases of mankind. The objective of this workshop was to review critical scientific evidence and develop recommendations to improve: (i) plaque control at the individual and population level (oral hygiene), (ii) control of risk factors, and (iii) delivery of preventive professional interventions. METHODS Discussions were informed by four systematic reviews covering aspects of professional mechanical plaque control, behavioural change interventions to improve self-performed oral hygiene and to control risk factors, and assessment of the risk profile of the individual patient. Recommendations were developed and graded using a modification of the GRADE system using evidence from the systematic reviews and expert opinion. RESULTS Key messages included: (i) an appropriate periodontal diagnosis is needed before submission of individuals to professional preventive measures and determines the selection of the type of preventive care; (ii) preventive measures are not sufficient for treatment of periodontitis; (iii) repeated and individualized oral hygiene instruction and professional mechanical plaque (and calculus) removal are important components of preventive programs; (iv) behavioural interventions to improve individual oral hygiene need to set specific Goals, incorporate Planning and Self monitoring (GPS approach); (v) brief interventions for risk factor control are key components of primary and secondary periodontal prevention; (vi) the Ask, Advise, Refer (AAR) approach is the minimum standard to be used in dental settings for all subjects consuming tobacco; (vii) validated periodontal risk assessment tools stratify patients in terms of risk of disease progression and tooth loss. CONCLUSIONS Consensus was reached on specific recommendations for the public, individual dental patients and oral health care professionals with regard to best action to improve efficacy of primary and secondary preventive measures. Some have implications for public health officials, payers and educators.

Full‐mouth treatment concepts for chronic periodontitis: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES To systematically review the effectiveness of full-mouth treatment concepts for chronic periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS A search was conducted for randomized, controlled clinical trials including full-mouth scaling with (FMD) or without (FMS) the use of antiseptics and quadrant scaling (control). Data sources included COHG, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE. Reviewers independently conducted data abstraction and quality assessment. The primary outcome was tooth loss; secondary outcomes were the reductions of PPD and BOP and a gain of CAL. RESULTS Of 216 identified abstracts, seven trials were included. Meta-analysis revealed a weighted mean difference (WMD) for the reduction of PPD between FMD and control of 0.53 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) (0.28, 0.77), p<0.0001] in moderately deep pockets of single-rooted teeth. The WMD for gain in CAL was 0.33 mm [95% CI (0.04, 0.63), p=0.03] in moderately deep pockets of single- and multi-rooted teeth. Comparing FMD and FMS, the WMD for the reduction of CAL amounted to 0.74 mm [95% CI (0.17, 1.31), p=0.01] in deep pockets of multi-rooted teeth in favour of FMS. For BOP a WMD -18.0% [95% CI (-34.30, -1.70), p=0.03] was calculated in deep pockets of single-rooted teeth in favour of FMD. CONCLUSIONS In adults with chronic periodontitis only minor differences in treatment effects were observed between the treatment strategies.

Consensus Statements and Clinical Recommendations for Prevention and Management of Biologic and Technical Implant Complications.

Implant treatment is highly successful, as documented in a wealth of scientific literature. However, patients and clinicians should expect to see complications within their daily practice. The aim of the papers presented by this group was to address the prevention and management of technical and biologic complications in order to make recommendations both for clinical practice and future research. Three topics were chosen within the field of complications of implant treatment, and these addressed prevention and therapy of peri-implant disease and prevention of technical complications. Three systematic reviews were conducted and formed the basis for discussion of working group 5. The discussions led to the development of statements and recommendations determined by group consensus based on the findings of the systematic reviews. These were then presented and accepted following modifications as necessary at plenary sessions.No abstract available.

Oral health and impact on performance of athletes participating in the London 2012 Olympic Games: a cross-sectional study

Background Oral health is important both for well-being and successful elite sporting performance. Reports from Olympic Games have found significant treatment needs; however, few studies have examined oral health directly. The aim of this study was to evaluate oral health, the determinants of oral health and the effect of oral health on well-being, training and performance of athletes participating in the London 2012 Games. Methods Cross-sectional study at the dental clinic within the Polyclinic in the athletes’ village. Following informed consent, a standardised history, clinical examination and brief questionnaire were conducted. Results 302 athletes from 25 sports were recruited with data available for 278. The majority of athletes were from Africa, the Americas and Europe. Overall, the results demonstrated high levels of poor oral health including dental caries (55% athletes), dental erosion (45% athletes) and periodontal disease (gingivitis 76% athletes, periodontitis 15% athletes). More than 40% of athletes were ‘bothered’ by their oral health with 28% reporting an impact on quality of life and 18% on training and performance. Nearly half of the participants had not undergone a dental examination or hygiene care in the previous year. Conclusions The oral health of athletes attending the dental clinic of the London 2012 Games was poor with a resulting substantial negative impact on well-being, training and performance. As oral health is an important element of overall health and well-being, health promotion and disease prevention interventions are urgently required to optimise athletic performance.

Systematic review of outcome measurements and reference group(s) to evaluate and compare implant success and failure

BACKGROUND There is a lack of consensus on measures to assess implant performance in clinical research. OBJECTIVES To investigate the outcomes measures and reference groups employed to evaluate and compare implant success and failure. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE (OVID) and Web of Science with searching reference lists of included papers. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Inclusion: root form, titanium implants in dentate or edentulous individuals. Longitudinal studies reporting survival or success outcomes on at least 20 participants ≥ mean 5 years. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS Descriptive statistics. RESULTS Two-hundred and sixteen studies were included. Implant survival was the most commonly reported primary outcome (60%) with success at 15.7%. Success constituted a wide variety of measures with little consistency. A percentage of 98.6% of studies employed the implant as the unit of analysis with little consideration of clustering within patients. The status of periodontal and general heath of study groups was unclear for more than 80% studies. The proportion of studies comprising randomized trials or using appropriate analytical methods increased from 1980 to 2011. LIMITATIONS Considers only English language and there was no author contact. CONCLUSION In view of the disparate outcome measures employed to assess dental implant performance, agreement is needed both on a core set of implant outcomes and their statistical management.