Longitudinal monitoring for disease progression of localized juvenile periodontitis

The present study was performed to investigate the factors associated with disease progression in localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) patients by longitudinal monitoring of microbiological changes. Following a 9-month period, 9 LJP patients were divided into 2 groups based upon attachment loss, progressing and non-progressing. Both groups received scaling, root planing, and modified Widman flaps. Clinical and microbiological data were obtained at baseline, following the observation period, and at 6 and 12 months post-treatment. At 6 and 12 months post-treatment significantly more cocci were persistent in the non-progressing group than in the progressing group. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans was also more frequently isolated in the progressing group than in the non-progressing group initially and following the 9-month observation period. Also after treatment, A. actinomycetemcomitans recolonized earlier in the progressing group than in the non-progressing group. These studies suggest that A. actinomycetemcomitans may play a role in disease progression in LJP; however, they do not eliminate the possibility that other organisms may also play a role, since A. actinomycetemcomitans was not detected in all of the patients in whom disease progressed.