Long-term clinical effects of a chlorhexidine varnish implemented treatment strategy for chronic periodontitis

Background: Scaling and root planing in combination with oral hygiene monitoring are still considered the therapeutic standards for periodontitis. Although this treatment concept customarily results in satisfactory clinical improvements, treatment outcome may become less favorable predominantly when full access to periodontal defects is compromised, thereby leaving accretions behind. The purpose of this study was to investigate, over a 9-month period, the clinical benefits of a treatment strategy for chronic periodontitis based on a combination of sequential scaling and root planing and subgingival chlorhexidine varnish administration.Methods: This randomized controlled, single blind, parallel trial included 26 volunteers with chronic periodontitis. The control group received oral hygiene instructions and was scaled and root planed in two sessions. The test group received the same instructions and treatment; however, all pockets were additionally disinfected using a highly concentrated chlorhexidine varni...