Methodological Evaluation of Gingival Crevicular Fluid Volume and Elastase Level

Twenty adults (mean age of 41.8 years. ranged 31-60 years. 18 males. 2 females) with chronic periodontitis were enrolled and all completed the 3-day study. Three-hundred-sixty samples of GCF were harvested from the interproximal sites of each of the two maxillary non-molar teeth according to the orifice method. Each site was sampled three times with 1-min intervals between repeat samples. By using intracrevicular method, the other 360 samples of GCF were collected on the same sites following 10-minutes interval. In first day, 2nd day and 3rd day the length of sampling time in seconds and order were 5. 10. 30; 10. 30. 5 and 30. 5. 10. respectively. GCF elastase activity was determined by hydrolysis of neutrophil specific substrate N-methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-p-nitroanilide and was expressed as concentration (microU/microl) and total enzyme activity (microU).

Inclusion criteria

• no history of systemic disease;
• no history of antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory drugs within the past 6 months;
• no received any oral hygiene prophylaxis and scaling and root planing within the past 6 months;
• at least 2 interproximal sites exhibiting higher than 5 mm probing depth, radiographic bone loss and gingival index of 2 (with preference of two maxillary non-molar teeth)

Exclusion criteria

• with metabolic diseases
• pregnancy, lactation etc.