Clinical Effects of Zinc-containing Stents on Gingivitis: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the effects of zinc-containing stents on gingival inflammation, bleeding, and plaque regrowth in patients with gingivitis.

Methods: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted at Çukurova University, enrolling 42 systemically healthy gingivitis patients aged 18-30. Participants were assigned to either a test group (Zn group) or a control group (placebo stents) and instructed to wear their stents for at least 12 h daily for 4 weeks after scaling. Clinical measurements, including gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and bleeding on probing (BOP), were assessed at baseline and at the 2nd, 4th, and 8th weeks. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS and RStudio.

Results: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in gingival health over time, but the zinc-stent group exhibited statistically significantly lower GI scores at all time points, suggesting a greater reduction in gingival inflammation. PI and BOP scores also improved in both groups, though no statistically significant difference was observed between them.

Conclusion: The results indicate that zinc-containing stents may serve as a beneficial adjunct to mechanical plaque control in gingivitis management. Zinc's antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties likely contribute to improved gingival health. The findings suggest that zinc-containing stents provide additional benefits in reducing gingival inflammation beyond mechanical plaque removal alone. These stents may be a promising adjunctive approach in periodontal therapy, but further long-term studies are needed to confirm their broader clinical applications.

Trial registration: The study was conducted in accordance with the CONSORT guidelines and registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06888440), 20 March 2025.