Nonsurgical periodontal treatment in type II diabetics in a middle-income country: a cost-effectiveness analysis

Objectives: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the nonsurgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) compared with supragingival therapy in type II diabetics with periodontitis. Methods: A decision tree analysis was used to estimate the costs and health outcomes of two periodontal therapies in a hypothetical cohort of type II diabetics with periodontitis. The analysis was developed from the perspective of a third-party payer at 1 year and 5 years. Probabilities were derived from two systematic reviews. The costs and resource use were validated by a Delphi expert panel. All costs were expressed in USD, using the 25 May 2021 Colombian pesos market exchange rate (USD 1 = COP 3,350). Results: NSPT was a dominant alternative compared with subsidized supragingival therapy in type II diabetics with periodontitis, generating savings of USD 87 and 400, during the first year or up to 5 years, respectively, and improving dental survival from 32 to 69 percent. Conclusions: NSPT can generate savings by reducing the complications derived from uncontrolled periodontitis and tooth loss.