Clinical, microbiological, and immunological evaluation of patients in corrective orthodontic treatment

Abstract

Abstract Background The objective was to analyze clinical, microbiological, and immunological periodontal parameters in patients in corrective orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods Twenty-eight patients were selected. Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), width of keratinized gingiva, levels of 40 bacterial species, and of 3 cytokines (IL-1β, MMP-8, and TNF-α) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were evaluated at T0, before orthodontic treatment; T1, 6 months; and T2, 12 months post-treatment. Non-parametric, Friedman, Wilcoxon, ANOVA, and Spearman correlation coefficient tests were used for statistical analyses, with the significance level of 5%. Results No significant difference was found for the width of keratinized gingiva, but PI presented a significant increase at T1 and T2 (p 0.05). In the microbiological analysis, red complex pathogens were in significantly greater proportions in T2 compared with T0 (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the cytokine levels between the periods but there was a positive correlation between BOP and IL-1β (r = 0.49 p = .01) and TNF-α (r = 0.39 and p = .05). Conclusion In conclusion, corrective orthodontic treatment caused clinical periodontal alterations regarding biofilm accumulation and gingival bleeding, with alteration of periodontopathogens.

Keywords

• Gingivitis
• Orthodontics
• Periodontology
• Biofilm