Anti-Infective Therapy for Periodontal Diseases

Anti-infective periodontal therapy includes both mechanical and chemotherapeutic approaches to minimize or eliminate microbial biofilm (bacterial plaque), a known primary etiologic factor of gingivitis and periodontitis. Since most patients are not skilled in adequate plaque removal, many clinicians currently include one or more adjunctive chemotherapeutic agents in their nonsurgical anti-infective regimen. Adjunctive antimicrobials can be used either systemically or locally. During the past two decades, dentists and microbiologists have embraced periodontal antibiotic therapy as a powerful adjunct to conventional mechanical debridement for therapeutic management of periodontal diseases. This book reviews the indications and protocols for optimizing the use of anti-infective agents during the treatment of periodontal diseases.