Porphyromonas gingivalis: influence on the effectiveness of periodontal therapy

Background: treatment protocols that include the combination of mechanical periodontal and antimicrobial therapy have shown greater clinical and microbiological efficacy compared to traditional mechanical therapy. Objective: to evaluate the influence of basal porphyromonas gingivalis on clinical parameters of patients treated with moxifloxacin attached to traditional mechanical therapy in aggressive periodontitis. Methods: an experimental study in treatment groups in which 40 patients were distributed in equitable way. One group received mechanical therapy plus moxifloxacin 400 mg systemically administered, once daily for seven days. Also, a control group received mechanical therapy and placebo, also once daily for seven days. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two study groups. Patients were evaluated clinically and microbiologically before periodontal therapy and six months after treatment. Results: a higher increase was observed in clinical attachment level and greater reduction in probing depth in the group treated with moxifloxacin, with statistically significant differences favoring patients with presence of p. gingivalis at baseline. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the presence of p. gingivalis at baseline was significantly associated with improved clinical parameters six months after therapy. The interaction p. gingivalis moxifloxacin was also significantly associated with a rise in clinical attachment level and probing depth decreased. Conclusions: adjunctive moxifloxacin compared to traditional mechanical therapy leads to improved clinical benefits in patients with aggressive periodontitis harboring p. gingivalis.