Clinical and 3D Radiographic Evaluation of Minimally Invasive Non-Surgical Therapy Versus Single Flap Approach in Management of Periodontal Intrabony Defects: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Minimally invasive non-surgical therapy (MINST) offers a tissue-preserving, patient-friendly approach that reduces morbidity, chair-time, and postoperative complications. However, existing studies on MINST are limited in scale, often lack long-term follow-up, and vary in clinical protocols, leading to inconsistent evidence on its predictability and efficacy compared to surgical modalities (Nibali et al., 2015; Barbato et al., 2024). Moreover, the biological mechanisms underlying MINST, particularly its ability to facilitate stable blood clot formation and support periodontal regeneration, are not yet fully clarified (Mehta et al., 2024). Given the growing emphasis on cost-effective, patient-centered care and the increasing population of individuals with medical or psychological contraindications to surgery, a deeper investigation into MINST as a stand-alone treatment is both timely and critical.

While MINST has emerged as a promising approach for managing periodontal intrabony defects, a critical limitation of current evidence lies in the lack of detailed characterization of defect morphology. Due to the non-surgical nature of the approach, the precise configuration of the defects; including their depth, width, angulation, and number of remaining bony walls, often remains undetermined, which restricts the ability to correlate defect characteristics with clinical outcomes. This is significant because it is well-established that defect morphology plays a crucial role in the success of regenerative periodontal treatments (Kasaj et al., 2008). Without detailed radiographic assessment, particularly using preoperative three-dimensional imaging modalities such as CBCT, it is challenging to ascertain which defect types are most suitable for MINST versus those that may benefit more from surgical intervention (Anoixiadou et al., 2023).

Consequently, there is a clear need for studies integrating preoperative 3D evaluation to better define the indications, advantages, and limitations of MINST in relation to defect-specific anatomical variables. Nonetheless, as periodontal therapy shifts toward less invasive, patient-centered care models, evaluating the efficacy of MINST with robust morphological diagnostics becomes an essential step in optimizing treatment outcomes and guiding evidence-based clinical decision-making.