Indomethacin or flurbiprofen treatment of periodontitis in beagles: Comparison of effect on bone loss

The effect of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, indomethacin and flurbiprofen, on the progression of periodontal disease was studied in 16 beagle dogs over a 12-month period. Standardized radiographs were used to measure the rate of bone loss. Following a 6-month pretreatment baseline period, 5 dogs were dosed daily with 1.0 mg/kg indomethacin, 5 dogs were dosed daily with 0.02 mg/kg flurbiprofen, and 6 dogs were dosed with empty gelatin capsules for a 6-month period. In the untreated control dogs, the rate of bone loss in the treatment period significantly increased from baseline. In contrast, the rate of bone loss significantly decreased from baseline in the flurbiprofen-treated dogs. In the indomethacin-treated dogs, rate of bone loss in the treatment period was not significantly different from baseline. The data indicate that both flurbiprofen and indomethacin inhibit alveolar bone loss in beagles compared to untreated controls. The data also indicate that with the dosages employed flurbiprofen is overall more effective.