MANAGEMENT OF FURCATION-INVOLVED TEETH - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

In the present study, data from more than 550 periodontally diseased p atients with more than 1100 furcation invasions were retrospectively a nalysed. There were apparent differences in the distribution of differ ent furcation degrees in patient populations treated by 2 differently experienced operators. However, treatment modality patterns were rathe r similar. Scaling during periodontal flap surgery was the most often performed treatment procedure in degree I (97-98%) and II (75-83%) inv olvements. About 44% of degree III involved teeth were extracted. In o rder to determine the influence of degree of furcation involvement, to oth type and operator variability on treatment modality, logistic regr ession analysis was applied. Degree of furcation involvement was an im portant indicator variable in all models. Scaling as a sole measure wa s mainly performed in relation to degree I of furcation involvement. W ith every increase in degree, the odds of scaling decreased by factor 12.7. The odds of root resection was upper Ist molars 46x higher than in wisdom teeth or lower 2nd molars with the same degree of involvemen t, but only 3.3x higher than in lower 1st molars. Tunnel preparation a s well as regenerative procedures were mainly confined to lower molars . Operator variability was only introduced as a covariate in the extra ction model. Hence, despite of different operator skill and severity o f periodontal disease in treated populations, decision for one or the other treatment modality seems to depend essentially on degree of furc ation involvement as well as tooth type.