Background: Report of a combined periodontal and orthodontic treatment in a patient with Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome (PLS).

Methods: A patient with PLS was treated orthodontically 26 months after the start of a combined mechanical and antibiotic therapy. Clinical periodontal parameters were obtained 26 (t1), 60 (t2), and 79 (t3) months after anti-infective therapy. The deepest site of each tooth was sampled for microbiological analysis at 26 and 60 months. Periodontal maintenance therapy was provided every 6 weeks. After a stable periodontal situation was achieved, orthodontic treatment, consisting of space opening for the upper canines with a multibracket appliance and coil springs, was carried out. In the lower jaw, crowding was resolved by an orthodontic mesialization of the canines.

Results: Twenty-six months (t1) after the beginning of the combined mechanical and antibiotic therapy, 6% of the sites exhibited 4 mm probing depth (PD) with bleeding on probing (BOP) or PD ≥5 mm. Sixty months (t2) after therapy the number of sites with 4 mm PD with BOP or PD ≥5 mm had increased to 17%, and 79 months after therapy (t3) 13% of all sites were similarly affected. From 26 to 60 months, a slight mean clinical attachment level (CAL) gain was observed, whereas the mean PD increased. From 60 to 79 months, there was a mean PD reduction. However, a significant mean attachment loss was also noted. After 26 months (t1), RNA probes failed to detect A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, or T. forsythensis from any site. Thirty-four months later (t2), subgingival recolonization was observed. A. actinomycetemcomitans was detected by RNA probes at three sites. At 26 and 60 months (t1, t2), trypticase-soy with serum, bacitracin, and vancomycin (TSBV) culture failed to detect A. actinomycetemcomitans at any of the sampled sites. Eighty-two months after the beginning of therapy (t4), none of the applied methods could detect A. actinomycetemcomitans from the pooled samples from the deepest pockets of each quadrant or the oral mucosa. In the present case, concomitant orthodontic treatment with a fixed appliance could be performed without further pronounced periodontal deterioration. Space for eruption of the canines and premolars was created, in addition to an alignment of the teeth.

Conclusion: After a successful combined mechanical and antibiotic periodontal therapy of the PLS periodontitis, moderate orthodontic tooth movements may be possible within a complex interdisciplinary treatment regimen. J Periodontol 2005;76:642-650.