Clinical Evaluation of Partial‐ and Full‐Mouth Scaling in the Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis

Background: Full‐mouth scaling (FMS) is claimed by some researchers to be superior to standard scaling and root planing (SRP). The aim of the present study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of two modalities of non‐surgical periodontal therapy for patients with chronic periodontitis. Methods: In a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study, 37 subjects with chronic periodontitis were treated by SRP in two quadrants at 4‐week intervals (N = 20) or by FMS (N = 17). Clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded at premolar and molar teeth at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. Results: Both therapies resulted in significant improvements of all clinical variables. After 12 months, CAL at pockets with PDs of 4 to 6 mm was reduced significantly from 4.5 ± 0.8 mm to 3.4 ± 1.0 mm with SRP and from 4.7 ± 0.9 mm to 3.8 ± 1.1 mm with FMS (P