Antibiotics

Locally Delivered Antibiotics

These products allow for the placement of an appropriate concentration of antibiotics directly into the periodontal pocket. They are only effective when used in conjunction with scaling and root planing and sometimes require multiple applications. They are most effective in the treatment of mild periodontal disease and may be used during continued maintenance for areas of recurrent inflammation and disease.

Systemic Antibiotics

Systemic antibiotics may be used for different purposes. Higher doses are appropriate when attempting to combat acute periodontal infections (abscesses), aggressive periodontal diseases, and in patients with immunocompromised states.

Low dose doxycycline (Periostat™) can be used in certain patients for host modulation to reduce the destructive effects of the immune response. Low dose antibiotics do not kill the bacteria, but reduce the inflammation associated with their presence.