Abstract:
This article describes a double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial that
involved 30 eligible subjects experiencing generalised aggressive periodontitis. Subjects
were randomly assigned to either the test group (scaling and root planning + metronidazole
[400 mg]) and amoxicillin [500 mg]) or the control group (scaling and root planning without
the adjunctive antibiotics combination). Both antibiotics and placebos were administered
three times per day for 14 days. Participants were examined at baseline, and again six months
and one year after therapy. Both therapies led to a statistically significant improvement
in all clinical parameters as measured after one year. However, subjects who received the
metronidazole–amoxicillin combination showed the greatest reduction in mean probing
depth, an improved clinical attachment level and a lower mean number of residual sites
after one year. The investigators concluded that the non-surgical treatment of generalised
aggressive periodontitis was markedly improved by the adjunctive use of metronidazole and
amoxicillin up to one year after treatment.
