Prescription tray therapy can effectively treat patients with chronic periodontal disease, according to recent research from The Journal of Clinical Dentistry. During the study, 66 patients were prescribed a customized Perio Tray from Perio Protect that delivered a gel with 1.7% hydrogen peroxide into periodontal pockets.
The researchers collected data when the tray was delivered, at 6 months, at one year, and at annual intervals up to 5 years. They noted 60% to 85% reductions in gingival bleeding for smokers and nonsmokers alike who used the tray once or twice a day for 10 minutes. These reductions were observed at 6 months and maintained throughout the study. Also, only one out of 1,745 teeth was lost during the study period.
All of the subjects had previous long-term, comprehensive periodontal care, including surgical intervention and ongoing maintenance therapy every 2 to 4 months. However, they all were failing to respond to treatment and were at high risk for continual destruction of periodontal ligament and alveolar bone.
“I did everything possible for these patients before the prescription trays,” said Dr. R. Bruce Cochrane, treating periodontist and lead author of the study. “Most had had at least one surgical intervention and continued to bleed in over 50% of their pockets.”
According to the researchers, patients described the Perio Tray as comfortable, flexible, and easy to use. In one controlled clinical trial, all of the patients assigned to Perio Tray subject groups said they would recommend it to others. They also credited the therapy with their healthier, brighter smiles.
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