April 2022

Aim: The primary aim of this randomized split-mouth triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was to assess, by means of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), the effect of surgical topical use of 1%- Sodium alendronate (ALN) on the reduction of periodontal intrabony defects. Material and methods: Sixty-four intrabony defects from 32 patients with periodontitis were randomly treated with either 1%-ALN gel or placebo gel during periodontal surgeries. Periodontal clinical parameters were recorded at baseline and at 90 (T1) and 180 days (T2) after surgical treatment. Bone defects were evaluated by digital subtraction radiography (DSR) and CBCT at baseline and T2. Results: At T2, intergroup analysis showed significantly better periodontal clinical parameters, higher positive effects on periodontal bone repair (p<0.001) detected through DSR and greater bone filling detected through CBCT (p<0.001) for the ALN group. Moreover, the sensitivity of DSR in relation to CBCT increases with higher bone filling gain, i.e., small filling gains (≤0.5-to-<1.0 mm) are not detected by DSR. Conclusions: Topical application of 1%-ALN gel in intrabony defects showed better clinical results and significantly greater bone filling detected through CBCT compared to a placebo gel after 6 months.