Introduction:

Adjunctive treatment for periodontal disease is quite varied and depends on many factors. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of 0.12% chlorhexidine and essential oils associated with scaling and root planing in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

Material and methods:

The sample included 42 patients randomly assigned to three groups. Decrease in periodontal status was measured with the World Health Organization's periodontal probe by analyzing probe depth values and level of clinical insertion at 3, 4, and 5 months. Statistical analysis of the progress of the three therapies was conducted using Student's t, Anova, and Tukey tests with a significance level of p < 0.05.

Results:

The obtained values demonstrated that 0.12% chlorhexidine is more effective in all of its follow ups, whereas no significant difference existed between essential oils and the control group. A significant difference was observed over time in each separate treatment.

Conclusión:

Chlorhexidine at a 0.12% concentration associated with root scaling and planing is better than essential oil therapies for the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

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