Maintenance visit regularity has a different impact on periodontitis- related tooth loss depending on patient staging and grading

Abstract

AimTo assess whether maintenance variables have a differential effect on tooth loss due to periodontitis (TLP) based on staging and grading.Materials and MethodsPatients treated for periodontitis for a minimum of - ¥10Â years follow- up were included and categorized according to their stage and grade at baseline. Impact of number, regularity, and pattern of supportive periodontal therapy visits (SPT) on TLP was explored by dividing teeth into test (5Â year time periods prior to TLP events) and control groups (random 5Â year periods without tooth loss).ResultsThe regularity of maintenance visits, but not the overall quantity, had a significant impact on risk of TLP and showed higher importance as staging and grading increased (larger impact for stages III/IV and grade C). The minimum threshold of visits below which the risk of TLP was equivalent to that of the control group was one visit every 7.4Â months for stages I- II, 6.7Â months for stage III- IV, 7.2Â months for grade B and 6.7Â months for grade C. This frequency should be increased for former and current smokers, diabetics and elderly patients. Stage III and IV patients who skip more than 1Â year of maintenance in a 5Â year period have an increased risk of TLP (ORÂ =Â 2.55) compared to those only miss 1Â year. A similar trend was noted for grade C patients, but not for stages I/II or grades A/B.ConclusionsLack of SPT regularity and missing multiple years of maintenance had a larger influence on risk of TLP for higher- level staging and grading.