A PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER STUDY EVALUATING PERIODONTAL REGENERATION FOR CLASS-II FURCATION INVASIONS AND INTRABONY DEFECTS AFTER TREATMENT WITH A BIOABSORBABLE BARRIER MEMBRANE - 1-YEAR RESULTS

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER STUDY was to evaluate a re sorbable barrier membrane designed for periodontal regeneration. Thirt y-one Class II furcations and 30 two- and three-wall intrabony defects were treated by flap debridement and bioabsorbable barrier membrane a ugmentation. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated in terms of chang es in vertical probing depth (PD), horizontal probing depth (HPD), cli nical attachment levels (GAL), and recession. Five centers participate d in the study. Changes in clinical parameters are reported by individ ual center and by the average of the centers. All patients had either one molar with a Class II furcation or an intrabony defect. Baseline d ata were taken on the day of surgery. Post-treatment data were collect ed at 6 months and 1 year. This report is based on the 1-year findings . The average initial PD for Class II furcations was 6.1 mm. At 1 year the average PD was reduced to 3.6 mm, a 2.5 mm change. These differen ces were clinically and statistically significant (P < 0.0001). There was an average gain of 2.1 mm of clinical attachment (P < 0.0001) and 0.4 mm of recession (P < 0.04). There was a mean of 1.8 mm change in H PD (P < 0.0001). For intrabony defects, at 1 year there was an average PD reduction of 4.1 mm (P < 0.0001) and a mean gain of CAL of 2.9 mm (P < 0.0001). At 1 year the average recession was 0.9 mm which was sta tistically significant. When treatment outcomes were compared between centers there were no differences for either group of treated defects. There were differences between centers when baseline PD for furcation s and intrabony sites were compared. The results of this study indicat e that clinically and statistically significant improvements in PD, GA L, and HPD occurred after treatment of Class II furcations and 2- to 3 -wall intrabony defects with the bioabsorbable periodontal membrane.