Mixed-Reality Assisted Periodontal Therapy: A Split-Mouth Rct

This randomized controlled split-mouth clinical trial compared the short-term clinical efficacy of mixed-reality (MR) holographic imaging-assisted scaling and root planing (SRP) and conventional SRP (C-SRP) in the treatment of severe periodontitis. Patients with generalized stage III periodontitis (grade B/C) were recruited. Using a split-mouth design, contralateral quadrants were randomly assigned to receive either MR-SRP or C-SRP treatment. The primary outcome measure was the number of sites presenting both probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥5 mm and bleeding on probing (BOP). Multivariate multilevel logistic regression models were utilized to quantify the effects of treatment modality, gender, smoking status, tooth type, site characteristics, and baseline PPD on treatment outcomes. Ethics committee approval has been obtained. At 3-month follow-up, both modalities yielded significant reductions in the number of sites with PPD ≥5 mm and BOP compared to baseline (p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified MR-SRP treatment (OR = 1.37, p = 0.02), middle sites (OR = 1.44, p = 0.03), molar teeth (OR = 0.30, p < 0.01), and baseline PPD (OR = 0.26, p < 0.01) have significant effect on site healing. The MR-SRP approach demonstrated superior short-term clinical outcomes, likely due to the enhanced 3D visualization of periodontal structures and improved treatment precision. MR holographic imaging is a clinically viable adjunct tool for periodontal therapy that provides real-time visual guidance during SRP.