title: Periodontal regenerative potential of autogenous periodontal ligament grafts in Class II furcation defects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the regenerative potential of autogenous periodontal ligament (PDL) grafts in the treatment of Class II furcation defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty mandibular Class II furcation defects from 10 systemically healthy patients with chronic periodontitis were selected. In experimental defects, flaps were coronally positioned following placing autogenous PDL grafts that were obtained from third molars; in controls, coronally advanced flap procedure without graft was applied. Clinical measurements including plaque index, gingival index, probing depth (PD), vertical and horizontal clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival recession (GR) were obtained at baseline and after 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Vertical and horizontal defect fill was evaluated with open clinical measurements at initial surgery and reentry after 6 months. Gingival biopsies from the experimental and control defects were obtained at reentry and evaluated histopathologically in order to examine the soft tissue response towards PDL grafts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sites treated with PDL grafts demonstrated significant improvement in vertical and horizontal defect fill, PD, and CAL at 3 and 6 months compared to presurgical values. The difference determined for the PD values of both groups at a statistically significant degree in favor of grafted sites was maintained at all observation periods. No foreign body reaction was observed in PDL grafts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These short-term results point to the potential of PDL grafts in promoting healing of furcation lesions. This preliminary study suggests that the use of PDL grafts may have beneficial effects in the treatment of furcation defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbay
authors.forename: Coşkun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Günhan
authors.forename: Nurdan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozmeriç
authors.forename: Köksal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baloş
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D005260:Female; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008875:Middle Aged; D008963:Molar / Q000601:surgery; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D012038:Regeneration; D013524:Surgical Flaps