Novel Protocol for Supportive Periodontal Therapy

The control group will be treated according to standard protocols of the Department of Periodontology of the university of Bern and receive conventional scaling and root planing. Supra- and subgingival hard and soft tissue deposits are being removed by means of hand instruments and ultra-sonic scalers followed by rubber cup polishing. All patients will have 2 visits per year. At each visit outcome measures will be assessed by masked dentists.

"The test group will be treated according to a novel treatment concept (Guided biofilm management, GBM):~1. Staining of all tooth surfaces to detect soft and hard deposits.~2. Removal of supra- and subgingival hard and soft bacterial deposits by means of an erythritol powder air-polishing.~3. If present, the supra- and subgingival hard deposits (e.g. calculus) will be removed by means of a slim ultrasonic tip (Piezon PS, EMS, Nyon Switzerland) without any additional use of hand instruments.~4. Another sub- and supragingival application of erythritol powder air-polishing without any rubber cup polishing. All patients will have 2 visits per year. At each visit outcome measures will be assessed by masked dentists."