New infographics explain the four steps of EFP clinical practice guideline

The EFP has published a series of infographics that explain the four steps of treatment set out in the federation’s clinical-practice guideline on the treatment of periodontitis, stages I-III.

The infographics, available for downloading from the EFP website, are designed to provide a clear and concise explanation of the key elements of the guideline, and highlight the strength of specific treatment recommendations.

The S3-level Clinical Practice Guideline, published in July 2020, was created to enable a homogeneous and evidence-based approach to the management of stage I–III periodontitis.

The guideline was based on the findings of Perio Workshop 2019, which created consensus reports based on 15 systematic reviews on different forms of treatment for the first three of the four stages of periodontitis, as defined by the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant Diseases and Conditions. (Stage IV periodontitis was then considered at Perio Workshop 2021, with a clinical practice guideline published in June this year).

The infographics explain how implementing the new classification “should facilitate the use of appropriate preventive and therapeutic interventions, depending on the stage and grade of the disease.”

They set out the various recommendations of the clinical practice guideline, using a simple colour coding:

• Blue indicates a treatment strategy or procedure that is recommended by the guideline.
• Orange indicates either treatment strategies or procedures that have an “open” recommendation (where clinicians may consider using a particular treatment strategy or procedure) or where there is not sufficient clarity to make a recommendation one way or another and further research is needed to clarify their efficacy.
• Red indicates a recommendation against using a specific treatment strategy or procedure.

There are five infographics: four on each step of treatment as outlined by the guideline, and a fifth which includes all the steps.

The four steps are: Step 1, control of local and systemic risk factors and professional mechanical plaque removal; Step 2, subgingival instrumentation; Step 3, periodontal surgery; Step 4, supportive periodontal therapy.

“This a very important document that was strongly requested by the national societies worldwide,” said Filippo Graziani, chair of the EFP’s European projects committee, who oversaw the production of the infographics. “It has been a mammoth effort of all the committee which I deeply thank. Finally, the recommendations are available and easy to disseminate among clinicians.”

READ THE INFOGRAPHICS