16 subjects with juvenile periodontitis were paired on the basis of general similarity of disease, and within each pair the persons assigned randomly, one to a placebo and one to a penicillin group. The study was double blind. All subjects received initial therapy consisting in scaling and root planning. Three months later both groups received open curettage of affected areas. Starting on the first surgical day, the chemotherapy group received, orally, phenoxymethyl penicillin, 250 mg qid, and the placebo group received placebo preparations identical in appearance to the penicillin, qid, for 10 days. Recalls were performed every 3 months; chemotherapy or placebo therapy was repeated in the same doses and schedules at each recall. No occlusal adjustment were performed in any patients. Clinical evaluations consisting in plaque index, gingival index, probing depths, attachment loss, and bleeding index, were made prior to treatment and at 3 months intervals. Radiographs were made prior to treatment and again at 9 months after surgery.
After 62 weeks results showed that there were no differences between groups in any clinical parameters prior to treatment. The use of oral phenoxymethyl penicillin was found to provide NO additional benefit.
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