Ozone application as adjunctive therapy in chronic periodontitis: Clinical, microbiological and biochemical aspects

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The application of ozone as an adjunctive treatment represents a new approach in the management of chronic periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical, biochemical and microbiological efficacy of ozone treatment as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in generalized chronic periodontitis (GCP) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients (9 males and 9 females; aged from 28 to 47 years, mean age of 40 ± 6.51 years) with GCP were recruited in the study. In a split mouth design, two quadrants in each patient were randomly allocated to SRP-alone or SRP-ozone therapy (SRP + OT) groups by coin toss method. Subgingival plaque and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples were collected at baseline, following 1st and 3rd months. The clinical parameters were monitored at baseline and after 3 months. Microbiological parameters were analyzed by quantitative-PCR and GCF biomarkers were determined by ELISA. Results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements in all clinical parameters were accompanied by a reduction in microbiological and biochemical parameters in both treatment groups. SRP treatment resulted in a significant reduction of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) at 1st month and Tannerella forsythia (Tf) and Prevotella intermedia (Pi) at 3 months. Following SRP treatment the interleukin (IL)-8 levels were significantly reduced at month 1. There were no significant differences between two treatments for any of the parameters. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, adjunctive ozone therapy did not provide additional benefits to clinical, microbiological and biochemical parameters over SRP in chronic periodontitis patients.