Aim: Retrospective evaluation of periodontal status in patients with Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) observed for ≥10 years; identification of factors that may influence treatment outcome; and reporting of the outcome of dental implants in four PLS patients.
Methods: All PLS patients currently registered at the Department of Periodontology, Goethe-University Frankfurt with a follow-up ≥10 years (13-33 years; mean 22 years) were recruited. Eight patients (aged 17-46 years) from five families (three pairs of siblings) were included.
Results: After comprehensive periodontal therapy in eight PLS patients, teeth were retained in only two. In six patients, all teeth were extracted, almost entirely due to periodontal reasons. In four patients, teeth were prosthodontically restored with implants. Currently, three patients already show peri-implantitis.
Conclusions: In some PLS patients, periodontitis may be arrested by: combined mechanical and antibiotic periodontal treatment; extraction of severely diseased teeth; oral hygiene instructions; intensive maintenance therapy; and microbiological monitoring and treatment of the infection with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Implants in PLS patients who did not follow any maintenance programme have a high risk of peri-implantitis and implant loss. Treatment of PLS patients has always to be considered as high-risk cases.
Keywords: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome; dental implants; long-term results; peri-implantitis; periodontitis.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.