Long-term results of guided tissue regeneration therapy with non-resorbable and bioabsorbable barriers. I. Class II furcations.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this 5-year follow-up study was to clinically and radiographically evaluate the long-term results after guided tissue regeneration (GTR) therapy of Class II furcation defects using non-resorbable and bioabsorbable barriers.


METHODS
Nine pairs of contralateral Class II furcation defects were treated in 9 patients with advanced periodontitis. Within each patient, one defect received a non-resorbable (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene [ePTFE]; control, C) barrier and the other a bioabsorbable (polyglactin 910; test, T) barrier by random assignment. At baseline, 6, and 60 +/- 3 months after surgery, clinical parameters and standardized radiographs were obtained. Gain of bone density within furcation areas was assessed using subtraction radiography.


RESULTS
Six and 60 months after GTR therapy, statistically significant (P <0.05) horizontal attachment (CAL-H) gain was observed in both groups (C6: 1.7 +/- 0.8 mm; C60: 1.6 +/- 1.2 mm; T6: 2.0 +/- 0.7 mm; T60: 2.2 +/- 0.9 mm). However, 1 furcation assessed as Class I six months after GTR therapy with a bioabsorbable barrier had progressed to Class III after 5 years, and in another patient, 5 years after placement of an ePTFE barrier, 1 furcation had lost all the CAL-H gain that had been observed at 6 months. Subtraction analysis revealed similar area gain in both groups 6 and 60 months postsurgically (C6: 0.3 +/- 0.5; C60 1.0 +/- 1.7; T6: 0.4 +/- 0.4; T60: 1.1 +/- 1.7).


CONCLUSIONS
CAL-H gain achieved after GTR therapy in Class II furcations was stable after 5 years in 16 of 18 defects. The study failed to show a statistically significant difference in stability of CAL-H gain between control and test groups 5 years after GTR therapy.
Eickholz
P
P
Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Dental School, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany. peter_eickholz@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Kim
T S
TS
Holle
R
R
Hausmann
E
E
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015519:Bone Density; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016557:Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000601:surgery; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000601:surgery; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011098:Polyglactin 910; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011859:Radiography; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011098:Polyglactin 910; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene