Patent ID: 8741267

Claim:
A method for the treatment of periodontal disease affecting human gums surrounding the teeth, comprising the steps of: a) heating a solid state periodontal medicament composition to a temperature of at least 180° F., said composition comprising i) from 1.25 to 10.0 percent povidone iodine by volume of the composition; ii) from 0.2 to 12.0 percent agar by volume of the composition, the agar being a carrier for said povidone iodine; and iii) optionally, up to 3 percent of a bio-compatible, radio-opaque salt by volume of the composition, the salt being opaque to X-rays or which can render the composition opaque; b) maintaining the temperature of the liquid medicament composition in step (a) above 180° F. for conversion of the medicament composition to a liquid state; c) thereafter lowering the temperature of the liquid medicament composition of step (b) to a temperature below 149° F. sufficient to maintain the medicament composition in a substantially liquid state; d) substantially filling a periodontal pocket of a patient with the liquid medicament composition, the pocket being defined as existing between contoured surfaces of gum structure and adjacent tooth structure; and e) allowing said composition to congeal into a substantially solid implant that is of sufficient size and that substantially conforms to the contoured surfaces so as to remain in the periodontal pocket for a sustained period of time of at least one day, wherein an aqueous exchange occurs between the povidone iodine suspended in the implant and moist saliva within the patient's mouth inducing the release of povidone iodine into the periodontal pocket over the sustained period of time.