Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pattern of tooth mobility following periodontal surgical procedures within the constraints of clinical requirements could be correlated with the published information on tooth mobility.
Methods: Changes in tooth mobility after surgical crown lengthening procedures were examined with a modern electro-mechanical instrument (Periotest)* in a total of 37 teeth in 14 patients between the ages of 18 and 55 years. Seven teeth were incisors, three canines, thirteen pre-molars and fourteen were molars. Periotest values, probing depths, bleeding indices and plaque indices were recorded after the initial preparation stage of the periodontal treatment, and further Periotest values and plaque and bleeding indices were recorded at intervals up to 3 months after surgery.
Results: In each category of teeth there was a progressive increase in tooth mobility starting immediately after surgery and peaking about the seventh day. The mobility then declined steadily to approach the baseline again at about 3 months. There were statistically significant differences in mobility after surgery between tooth types (p<0.01). Gender and age did not significantly affect the values.
Conclusion: The pattern of post-surgical tooth mobility in response to periodontal surgery and in the absence of established destructive periodontitis appears to be closely associated with the well known events of post-surgical periodontal wound healing, rather than with a pathological condition.