Guided tissue regeneration procedure with bioresorbable membranes versus conventional flap surgery in the treatment of infrabony periodontal defects.
OBJECTIVE
Claims are being made that clinical results of periodontal flap surgery are enhanced when membranes are employed to aid GTR in intrabony pockets. It was the aim of our study to determine whether this assumption was true for a certain bioresorbable membrane (Guidor Matrix Barrier).


METHODS
44 intrabony defects were treated in 16 patients. In 21 lesions, conventional flap surgery only was performed, while in 23, similar lesion membranes were placed as an additional treatment task. Results were evaluated over a time span of 12 months.


RESULTS
In all surgical areas, treatment resulted in significant improvement of parameters such as attachment levels and probing depths, as well as index values for plaque and bleeding on probing. This occurred whether membranes had been used or not, without any significant differences when comparing the collective results of both treatment groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Placement of membranes during periodontal surgery for the enhancement of tissue regeneration in intrabony pockets is often both difficult and time consuming. In the light of our clinical results with resorbable membranes, such extra effort seems hardly warranted.
Ratka-Krüger
P
P
Department of Periodontology, University of Frankfurt, Germany.
Neukranz
E
E
Raetzke
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016557:Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000628:therapy*; D010519:Periodontium / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013537:Sutures; D013997:Time Factors
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008567:Membranes, Artificial