Tooth mobility is an important part of a periodontal examination and represents a function of the persisting height of the alveolar bone and the width of the periodontal ligament.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes of the tooth mobility over 4 week-period following surgical therapy on the periodontal disease. Thirty five patients presenting with moderate periodontal pockets were selected and tooth mobility was measured at weekly intervals using Periotest (Siemens Co., Germany) beginning at the pre-operation examination and ending four weeks following the modified Widman Flap.

All data were statistically analyzed using the one-way ANOVA test.

The results were obtained as follows;

All teeth exhibited the greatest change in mobility at 1 week post-op, mobility generally decreasing with time.

Comparison of the weekly tooth mobility data regarding the 1st premolars showed significant differences only between weeks 1 (9.94) and 4 (6.14) (p<0.05).

Comparison of the weekly tooth mobility data regarding the 1st molar showed significant changes in the intervals between pre-op (6.49) and week 1 (11.22), pre-op and week 2 (9.37), weeks 1 and 3 (7.65), weeks 1 and 4 (5.62), and weeks 2 and 4 (p<0.05).

Comparison of the weekly tooth mobility data regarding the 2nd premolar and 2nd molar showed significant differences between pre-op (6.91, 8.60) and week 1 (11.02, 12.62), weeks 1 and 3 (8.00, 8.05), weeks 3 ad 4 (6.22, 6.71), and weeks 2 (9.34, 11.01) and 4 (p<0.05).