Aim: The aim of this retrospective analysis was to assess healing of intrabony defects treated with minimally invasive non-surgical therapy (MINST).
Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out in 35 consecutive intrabony defects treated by MINST (without any adjuncts) in 23 non-smoking patients. All defects had a radiographic intrabony component > 3 mm and had clinical and radiographic data available at baseline and 12 after treatment. Pre- and post-treatment radiographs were analysed and bone levels were compared by multilevel linear regression adjusted by latent variable method.
Results: Following MINST, the average PPD and CAL reduction in the intra-bony defects were 3.12 mm and 2.78 mm respectively (p < 0.001). The average radiographic intrabony vertical defect depth was reduced by 2.93 mm (from 6.74 mm to 3.81 mm) (p < 0.001), whereas the average defect angle changed from and 28.5° at baseline to 44.4° at re-evaluation (p < 0.001). Smaller initial defect angles and deeper initial defect depths were associated with greater defect depth reduction. Greater initial defect angles were associated with less defect angle change.
Conclusions: This paper shows considerable clinical and radiographic improvements after MINST, therefore bringing evidence to support its efficacy for the treatment of intrabony defects in non-smokers.
Keywords: healing; intrabony defects; non-surgical therapy; periodontitis; radiographic bone gain.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.