Local Drug Delivery: From Concept to Clinical Applications

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of periodontium. The relationship between bacterial plaque and the development of periodontal disease is well established. Antibacterial agents have been used effectively in the management of periodontal infection. The effectiveness of mechanical therapy and repeated systemic administration of antibacterial agents are limited due to the lack of accessibility to periodontopathic organisms in the periodontal pocket. Systemic administration of drugs leads to therapeutic concentrations at the site of infection, but for short periods of time, forcing repeated dosing for longer periods. Local delivery of antimicrobials has been investigated for the possibility of overcoming the limitations of conventional therapy. The use of sustained release formulations to deliver antibacterials to the site of infection has recently gained interest. These provide a long-term, effective treatment at the site of infection at much smaller doses. This book approaches the main delivery systems for the administration of drugs to the periodontal pocket, their usefulness, as well as the advancement of these systems.