Periodontal therapy by local delivery of tetracycline.

The present investigation assessed the feasibility of treating periodontal disease by controlled delivery of antibacterial agents from within periodontal pockets. Tetracycline-filled hollow fibers placed in the gingival sulcus were shown to have a dramatic effect both on the periodontal microflora and clinical manifestations of disease. Furthermore, it was found that drug-filled cellulose acetate hollow fibers are biologically compatible with the environment and can be manipulated by dental personnel to provide drug therapy with less than 1/1000 the amount of tetracycline that would have been used for systemic therapy. Of theoretical importance is the observation that virtual elimination of spirochetes from the gingival sulcus is possible by a single placement of tetracycline-filled hollow fibers, and spirochetes, once eliminated from a site, do not rapidly recolonize despite the persistence of viable organisms elsewhere in the mouth.