The objective of the study was to analyze the significance of some variables on interproximal alveolar bone height, based on cross-sectional epidemiologic data from a Swedish survey conducted in 1983-1984, in the northern medical care district of Alvsborg county. 723 dentate individuals (92% of the randomly selected dentate individuals) with complete anamnestic, clinical and radiographic documentation were included in the statistical analyses. The computerized method used to measure interproximal alveolar bone height as a % of root length (B/R) provided data at each measurable interproximal surface of the individual teeth. On the population basis, a multivariate linear regression analysis showed that: (i) mean B/R values did not differ significantly between men and women, (ii) B/R value decreased with increasing age at a linear rate of 0.26% (0.04 mm) per year of age, (iii) the higher the calculus index value, the lower the mean B/R value, (iv) the higher the plaque index value, the higher the mean B/R value, (v) level of education, dentist attendance frequency and prevalence of defective margins of dental restorations did not show any statistically significant association with B/R, (vi) individuals attending the dental hygienist less than once every 2 years had higher mean B/R value than individuals attending the dental hygienist at least once every two years, and (vii) current smokers exhibited significantly lower mean B/R value than former and non-smokers. Individuals smoking more than 5 g of tobacco per day had lower mean B/R values than individuals smoking between 1 and 5 g of tobacco per day. There was no statistically significant relationship between snuffing and B/R.

The purpose of the present cross-sectional epidemiologic study was to assess the interproximal alveolar bone level within the dentition of 732 randomly selected adult individuals, stratified according to gender and age. Full mouth series of periapical radiographs were used for the assessments of the relation alveolar bone height/root length (B/R). A computer/digitizer recording method was utilized for the assessments. The results were presented as (i) mean values per age group and gender, (ii) mean frequency of subjects with sites exceeding certain thresholds of bone loss and (iii) cumulative frequencies of subjects with various number and percentual proportion of sites in relation to different B/R-ratio intervals. The results showed a reduction in mean alveolar bone/root ratio with age. The women had a significantly more favourable mean B/R-ratio than men in the ages above 40 years; the women had, however, more missing sites above age 60 years. By older age, there was observed an increased variation between individual mean B/R-ratios. Only a few subjects had a mean B/R-ratio less than or equal to 50%. A subfraction of the subjects in the different age groups had greater than 20% of their sites below a B/R-ratio of 60%. This fraction increased with age.

The present study evaluated the long-term prognosis of tunnel preparations performed in a large number of teeth with advanced periodontal furcation defects. One hundred seven (107) patients, in which 156 teeth had been treated by tunnel preparations, were recalled for an evaluation, which was based on a questionnaire, a clinical examination, and radiographs; 102 patients attended (149 teeth = 95%). The mean observation time per tooth was 37.5 months (range 10 to 107 months). The results showed that 10 teeth (6.7%) had been extracted and 7 teeth (4.7%) hemisected. The indication for 12 of these extractions or hemisections was root caries. Among the remaining 132 teeth, 23 (15.4%) showed initial or established caries. There was no relationship between caries development and length of the observation time. Thus, approximately 75% of the teeth were still caries-free and in function. The findings demonstrated that tunnel preparations have a considerably better prognosis than previously reported and should be considered a valid treatment alternative.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and localization of interproximal periodontal intrabony defects (IPIDs) in the total adult population of a Swedish county. On each interproximal tooth surface (third molars excluded) in 733 randomly selected dentate individuals aged 20 years and over, one examiner recorded from x5-magnified periapical radiographs, the presence or absence of IPID with a width and depth of at least 5 and 10 mm, respectively, representing 1 and 2 mm unmagnified. Intra-examiner reproducibility determined from double recordings was substantial (kappa = 0.66). Recordings of IPID were compared with those performed by 24 specialist periodontists using their own diagnostic criteria. IPIDs were recorded in 32% of the 733 examined individuals; the number of defects per individual ranged from 1 to 15. The prevalence of IPID increased with increasing age and IPID occurred more frequently in men than in women. IPID was observed more frequently on mesial than on distal tooth surfaces, whereas there was no difference between maxillary and mandibular tooth surfaces. Symmetrical localizations of IPID in relation to the sagittal plane were observed.

The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of scaling and root planing with or without adjunctive tetracycline therapy in the treatment of periodonitis in humans. The presence of plaque, gingival inflammation, probing depths and attachment levels was assessed for all teeth in 12 patients with chronic, advanced periodontitis. After an initial examination all patients were given detailed oral hygiene instructions. The teeth in one-half of each arch were then scaled and root planed. The teeth in the contralateral half were not treated. Six patients were given tetracycline (1 gm/day) during the first and second weeks and the seventh and eighth weeks of the trial. The study thus included four different treatment groups: 1) no treatment, 2) scaling and root planing alone, 3) tetracycline administration alone, and 4) scaling and root planing combined with tetracycline administration. All patients were reexamined at 8 and 25 weeks subsequent to the initiation of therapy. Both PlI and GI scores decreased significantly in all groups. The GI scores were significantly lower in the scaled and root planed areas as compared to the contralateral sides at both the 8- and 25-week examinations. The PlI score was lower in the scaled and root planed areas only at the 25-week interval. The gingival probing depths were reduced in all groups. A significantly greater decrease in probing depth, however, was noted in scaled and root planed areas. There was a trend to gain of attachment in the treated areas but the magnitude of the gain was very small. The findings of the trail also revealed that the administration of tetracycline had only a minor effect on the parameters examined.