BACKGROUND:The comparative treatment response of children and young adults with localized aggressive periodontitis treatment (LAgP) affecting primary and permanent dentition is unknown. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of non-surgical periodontal therapy with adjunctive systemic antibiotics on the clinical outcome of children and young adults with primary versus permanent dentition affected by LAgP. METHODS:A cohort of 97 African American participants aged 5 to 21 years (30 males and 67 females; 22 primary and 75 permanent dentitions affected) diagnosed with LAgP were included. Patients presented with no significant medical history. All patients underwent periodontal therapy, which consisted of full-mouth mechanical debridement at baseline and the 3-, 6-, and 12-month appointments. Additionally, all patients were prescribed a 1-week regimen of systemic antibiotics at the initial appointment. Clinical parameters were analyzed, including probing depth, clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing, and percentage of visible plaque. RESULTS:Overall, periodontal therapy was found to be effective in improving the clinical outcomes of both primary and permanent dentitions. Although baseline CALs were similar between the groups, the reduction in mean CAL at 3, 6, and 12 months and reduction in percentage plaque at 3 months were significantly greater in primary dentition compared with permanent dentition. CONCLUSIONS:Non-surgical therapy with systemic antibiotics is effective for LAgP in both primary and permanent dentitions. A greater reduction in CAL in LAgP of primary dentition may suggest that younger children may carry a greater propensity for positive treatment outcomes and healing potential compared with children/young adults with permanent dentition.

BACKGROUNDTreatment of localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP) may include systemic antibiotics, yet it is unclear at what stage of treatment planning antibiotics are most effective.AIMThis retrospective analysis compared immediate versus delayed antibiotic therapy on clinical parameters and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) inflammatory mediators.MATERIAL AND METHODSAt baseline, 3 months and 6 months after treatment, clinical parameters [probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BoP) and plaque] and GCF were collected from LAP participants, who received a 7-day antibiotic regimen immediately (ImA) or 3 months following (DelA) mechanical therapy.RESULTSAlthough both groups presented significant CAL reductions at 6 months, only ImA resulted in a reduction in mean PD at both 3 and 6 months, along with reductions in CAL and BoP at 3 months following therapy. In addition, GCF mediators were higher in DelA group at 3 months post mechanical treatment, but were significantly reduced 6 months following antibiotic therapy.CONCLUSIONSImA and DelA regimens were both effective in improving CAL by 6 months post therapy. However, ImA allowed for better improvement in overall clinical parameters early in the course of treatment, concomitant with lower levels of inflammatory mediators within the GCF.