Procedures

Localized antibiotic administration

Disadvantages & risks

May cause the teeth to be sensitive or achy for a period of time. Other side effects are listed by drug under "Overview."

May be perceived as a "magic bullet" by patients, (i.e. "maybe a pill can cure my periodontal disease"). Localized antibiotic treatment by itself will not produce long-term periodontal health.

Patients with known allergies or sensitivity to a certain antibiotic family should not receive localized antibiotic treatment with those medications.

Patients who are pregnant or nursing should not be treated with locally delivered antibiotics unless a clear need has been demonstrated.

It has been said that control over periodontal disease is 25% up to the dental professionals managing the problem, and 75% up to the patient. Although localized antibiotic treatment can help a patient retain their teeth long-term, if a patient is not motivated to keep the teeth, and cannot commit to the practice of effective daily oral hygiene, treatment is unlikely to succeed.

Once you have been diagnosed with, and treated for periodontal disease, you should be evaluated more frequently than usual to be sure the condition is under control. Most commonly, periodontal patients are seen three to four times per year for "Periodontal Maintenance" procedures. Maintenance involves a thorough periodontal assessment and appropriate disease management procedures to prevent progression of periodontitis.

Typically, more than one administration of these locally administered antibiotic drugs is needed to gain and maintain control over active periodontal disease.

Localized application of antibiotic drugs is only suggested for cases of chronic adult periodontitis. It should not be used in children, and may not be effective in cases of aggressive periodontitis.

Your dental professional may know of specific risk factors associated with the local antibiotic treatment they have prescribed, so be sure to ask about them.