[Changes in the alveolar bone after periodontal therapy. A follow-up by computerized radiographic analysis]

In this study the authors evaluated radiographic variations of alveolar bone treated with periodontal therapy, through computerized analysis. Five adult patients with severe periodontitis were included in this study. In everyone of these patients, three sites were selected and treated in the following ways: 1) root planing (LCC), 2) open flap debridement (LCA) and 3) guided tissue regeneration with polytetrafluoroethylene membrane (GTR-PTFE). Every site was subjected to radiographic examination before treatment and six, eight, twelve and twenty-four weeks later. Radiographic images were evaluated through digital processing in order to show and compare one to another changes of alveolar bone of sites treated with different therapeutic procedures. Analysis of data indicated that sites treated by GTR-PTFE developed better than sites treated with other therapeutic procedures and evolution of sites treated with surgery was usually characterized by a beginning phase of alveolar bone loss and by a phase of variable bone regeneration later. Early variations of alveolar bone have been pointed out by mean of this computerized analysis.