Critical Appraisal
Does adjunctive use of metronidazole plus amoxicillin benefit patients receiving non-surgical scaling and root planing for the treatment of generalised aggressive periodontitis?
Submitted: 30 January 2013 | Published: 26 March 2013
About the author(s)
Andre W. van Zyl, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Pretoria, South AfricaJohan Hartshorne, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Alonso Carrasco-Labra, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Evidence-Based Dentistry Unit, Universidad de Chile, Chile
Abstract
This article describes a double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial thatinvolved 30 eligible subjects experiencing generalised aggressive periodontitis. Subjectswere randomly assigned to either the test group (scaling and root planing + metronidazole[400 mg]) and amoxicillin [500 mg]) or the control group (scaling and root planing withoutthe adjunctive antibiotics combination). Both antibiotics and placebos were administeredthree times per day for 14 days. Participants were examined at baseline, and again six monthsand one year after therapy. Both therapies led to a statistically significant improvementin all clinical parameters as measured after one year. However, subjects who received themetronidazole–amoxicillin combination showed the greatest reduction in mean probingdepth, an improved clinical attachment level and a lower mean number of residual sitesafter one year. The investigators concluded that the non-surgical treatment of generalisedaggressive periodontitis was markedly improved by the adjunctive use of metronidazole andamoxicillin up to one year after treatment.
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