OraPharma Product Profile: ARESTIN, An Adjunctive Treatment for Adult Perio

Periodontal disease
One of the main causes of periodontal disease is bacteria in the form of a sticky, colorless plaque that forms on teeth and can cause the gums to swell and bleed. The supporting tissue and bone is destroyed, forming “pockets” around the teeth. Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing ever-growing spaces in which plaque accumulates and bacteria can spread. The severity of periodontal disease is measured in part by the depth of these “pockets.”

When teeth and gums are healthy, the depth of unattached gums ranges between 2 and 3 millimeters. According to the National Institute of Dental Research, the presence of pockets with a depth of more than 4 millimeters is evidence of periodontal disease, and a pocket depth greater than 6 millimeters indicates advanced periodontal disease. If left unchecked, this can eventually cause loosening of teeth and potential tooth loss.

If a person is diagnosed with periodontal disease, it is recommended that treatment be initiated immediately to arrest the progression of the disease. Initiating treatment before infection progresses minimizes the risk of tooth loss and costly periodontal surgery.

The AAP treatment guidelines support that periodontal treatment be done through the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. A common non-surgical procedure is scaling and root planing. Scaling involves removing calculus and plaque, which harbor the bacteria that cause periodontal infection, from the tooth above and below the gum. Root planing smoothes the root surfaces under the gums to insure removal of plaque and calculus.

Although scaling and root planing is effective, it may not remove all of the bacteria implicated in periodontal disease. In cases of chronic periodontitis, outcomes have been improved when a locally administered antibiotic is administered in conjunction with scaling and root planing.

Locally administered antibiotics as adjunct therapy to scaling and root planing play an integral role in treating periodontal infection by supressing the pathogens that cause periodontal disease. Administered directly into the infected site, antibiotics can reach microorganisms at the base of deep periodontal pockets while minimizing systemic exposure.

ARESTIN®
ARESTIN® is a unique locally administered antibiotic that uses patented microsphere technology to deliver the antibiotic minocycline. The powder is placed directly into the infected periodontal pocket immediately following scaling and root planing. Once placed, the microspheres will release minocycline for up to 21 days.

ARESTIN® is easy for the practitioner and easy for the patient. It takes seconds to administer, it is painless, and does not require mixing or refrigeration. It is highly bioadhesive, does not require retention dressings, and is completely bioresorbable.

ARESTIN® comes in a box with 24 cartridges, each cartridge containing 1 milligram of minocycline hydrochloride. ARESTIN® is easily administered to the infected pocket via a specially designed handle and cartridge system. Each cartridge contains enough ARESTIN® for one periodontal pocket, which enables the dental professional to tailor the appropriate therapy for each patient and deliver the antibiotic at the site of infection.

ARESTIN® minocycline hydrochloride 1 milligram Microspheres is manufactured and marketed by OraPharma, Inc. For more information about ARESTIN®, please contact OraPharma at 1-866-ARESTIN® (273-7846), or log onto www.ARESTIN.com.

ARESTIN® is indicated as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) procedures for reduction of pocket depth in patients with adult periodontitis. ARESTIN® may be used as part of a periodontal maintenance program which includes good oral hygiene, and scaling and root planing.

ARESTIN® contains minocycline, a tetracycline derivative, and therefore should not be used in children and in pregnant or nursing women. The use of drugs of the tetracycline class during tooth development may cause permanent discoloration of the teeth. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were headache (9.0%), infection (7.6%), flu syndrome (5.0%), and pain (4.3%). These occurred at a similar rate to SRP and SRP+placebo.

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