Abstract
The periodontal disease burden is high globally as is periodontitis susceptibility. The management of this disease continuum (gingivitis-periodontitis) is vitality important to reduce the negative quality of life impact on individuals as well as the adverse health implications associated with periodontitis.The aim of this thesis is to evaluate emerging advances in technology for the diagnosis of periodontal diseases, their treatment and management, which will augment and offer alternatives to existing strategies.
A study to determine if intraoral scanner (IOS) images provide sufficient quality to enable the diagnosis of gingivitis to be reached demonstrated that the same clinical conclusions were reached irrespective of whether data was collected clinically or via IOS.
A randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether images taken from IOS can improve patient understanding of oral hygiene techniques and improve plaque levels and gingival inflammation more than standard oral hygiene advice showed that a personalised approach to oral hygiene instruction improved gum outcomes.
An RCT to determine if an anti-gingivitis toothpaste (TP) containing enzymes and other proteins (Zendium®) is an effective adjunct to toothbrushing in the prevention of gingivitis, demonstrated that Zendium® improved gingival inflammation and reduced plaque and bleeding on probing, when compared with a standard fluoride TP.
A split mouth, crossover RCT of periodontally susceptible individuals to determine if the professional plaque removal experience improved when using an ultrasonic scaler that can deliver warm water irrigant compared to standard room temperature, indicated that the provision of warm water reduced the pain and discomfort experienced by patients and could improve the overall acceptance of treatment.
This thesis demonstrates that advances in technology can improve patient education and behaviour change, and that with improved adjuncts to treatment and patient treatment experiences, better oral health outcomes can be achieved.
| Date of Award | 5 Dec 2023 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Nicola X West (Supervisor) & Maria Davies (Supervisor) |