The AAP have redefined periodontal disease from an infectious disease to an inflammatory disease.   If we continue to choose to ignore the inflammatory component and current JADA guidelines, we are at a standstill in our treatment progress as well as placing our client’s overall health at risk.  My main point with collagen supplementation is that there are a number of different types of collagen that are available OTC.  The source is also of significant importance due to impurities etc.   If you do some of the research there is a strong and questionable doubt as to how the collagen is able to be effectively metabolized by the body.   Low dose doxycycline on the other hand is not a ‘bandaid’ approach but rather a targeted approach to address the host response.  We have the scientific evidence to support our clinical decision making.  We have the strong evidence to know that the over production of collagenase or MMP-8 is being effectively minimized and counter balanced by the administration of low dose doxy or Periostat.  These are 2 distinctly different approaches and entities.  One is a ‘hit and miss’ with no definitive scientific impact on the periodontium and the other is treating the etiologic factors that are responsible for collagen breakdown specifically in the targeted area as well as having a beneficial impact on other areas of the body as evidenced by scientific articles related to systemic health.