Initial periodontal therapy consisted in oral hygiene instructions until the patient achieved high standards of oral hygiene (modified O'Leary plaque score < 20%), scaling and root planning under local anesthesia and occlusal adjustment if necessary. Four weeks after the completion of phase I therapy, a re-evaluation was performed to confirm the inclusion of the subjects in this clinical research. Probing pocket depth, attachment level, mobility, bleeding on probing and plaque index were assessed. Teeth with mobility greater than class I (Miller 1950) were splinted to adjacent teeth with a twisted wire and light-cured resin.