Impact of periodontal phenotype on outcome of open flap debridement.

What is it about?

Periodontal phenotype (PP) is a ginigival characteristic which is determined clinically by gingival thickness and keratinized tissue width. It can be assessed in a standardized and reproducible way by using a periodontal probe to measure gingival thickness observing the periodontal probe shining through gingival tissue after being inserted into the gingival sulcus i.e. thin PP (≤1 mm) when probe is visible and thick PP (>1 mm) when probe is not visible. The influence of gingival thickness has been documented in the outcome of various interventions especially periodontal plastic procedures. Open flap debridement (OFD) is routinely required in the management of moderately deep to deep periodontal pockets. The present study was designed with the aim to estimate the impact of PP on the outcomes of OFD. This study was conducted in individuals having moderate to severe periodontitis who underwent initial periodontal therapy including scaling and root planing and motivation sessions for plaque control. OFD in the form of modified Widman flap surgery was completed under local anesthesia. Debridement was completed and flaps were approximated with simple interrupted sutures at their original position. Professional plaque control was performed postoperatively at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months. The important findings of the study revealed that attachment gain of >2 mm is observed in higher percentage of sites belonging to thick PP. Moreover, sites those bleed on probing had greater attachment gain following surgical periodontal therapy.

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Photo by Caroline LM on Unsplash

Photo by Caroline LM on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The influence of periodontal phenotype has been documented in the outcome of various interventions like periodontal plastic surgeries, crown lengthening etc. Our findings show that periodontal phenotype is an important parameter influencing the outcome of open flap debridement in patients with periodontitis.