Therapeutic Efficacy of Subgingivally Delivered Doxycycline Hyclate as an Adjunct to Non-surgical Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis

OBJECTIVES: Locally used doxycycline has been shown to concentrate in crevicular fluid and demonstrates a wide spectrum of activity against the periodontal pathogens. The aim of the present clinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of doxycyline hyclate 10% as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 60 systemically healthy, chronic periodontitis patients were included in the study. Randomized clinical trial was performed over the 6 month period. Test group was treated by scaling and root planing followed by local delivery of doxycycline hyclate 10%, while the control group was treated by scaling and root planing along with placebo. RESULTS: Significantly greater (P < 0.001) reduction in the mean probing pocket depth was demonstrated in the test group (3.03 ± 0.92 mm) when compared with the control group (2.3 ± 0.65 mm). When the differences in clinical attachment level gain for the test group (2.0 ± 0.64 mm) versus control group (1.13 ± 1.07 mm) were analyzed by Student's unpaired t-test, test group showed statistically greater clinical attachment level gain (0.87 ± 0.22 mm, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: From the analysis of the results it can be concluded that the use of doxycyline hyclate 10% as an adjunct to scaling and root planing provides more favourable and statistically significant (P < 0.001) reductions in probing pocket depth and gains in clinical attachment level compared to scaling and root planing alone.