Implants: Improved plaque index score and shallower periodontal pockets

Personal oral hygiene plays an important part in maintaining the good condition of implant-supported restorations in the long term. Excellent oral hygiene practices are absolutely essential in cases where mucositis has already developed, in other words, the periimplant tissue is inflamed. A clinical study conducted in Sweden has established a successful treatment strategy for these situations. Read on to find out more about it!

Test subjects cleaned their teeth with Cervitec Gel

Thirty-eight patients with an average age of 69 years participated in the double blind study of Hallström et al. (2015). Periimplant mucositis was diagnosed around at least one implant in all the participants. All the patients were examined and given suitable oral hygiene instructions. Their teeth were mechanically cleaned by a dental professional. Subsequently, the patients were allocated to either the test or the control group. The members of the test group used Cervitec Gel, which contains 0.2% chlorhexidine and 900 ppm fluoride, instead of toothpaste to brush their teeth in the evening over a period of 12 weeks. The control group used a placebo gel containing 900 ppm fluoride, without chlorhexidine.

Decrease in the tendency to bleed

A statistically significant reduction in bleeding on probing (BOP) was determined compared with the results of the placebo group as a result of the additional use of the oral care gel. Moreover, the local plaque index scores improved and the pocket depth decreased in the test group. Bleeding on probing (BOP) of the pocket depth around an implant showing periimplant mucositis after the use of Cervitec Gel or a placebo gel.

High level of acceptance

No staining or impaired taste was reported throughout the entire treatment period. The readiness of the patients to use the mild-tasting gel was very high.