CLINICAL EFFECT OF TETRACYCLINE DEMINERALIZATION AND FIBRIN-FIBRONECTIN SEALING SYSTEM APPLICATION ON HEALING RESPONSE FOLLOWING FLAP DEBRIDEMENT SURGERY

THE AIM OF THIS CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL was to assess the effect on healing following tetracycline (TTC) conditioning and fibrin-fibronect in sealing system (FFSS) application in association with flap debridem ent surgery (FDS) in 11 patients under treatment for moderate to sever e periodontitis. Selection criteria included the presence of two bilat eral, homologous, non-molar, interproximal sites with probing depth gr eater than or equal to 5 mm. The areas bilateral to the trial sites we re matched for number and type of the teeth, and similar periodontal i nvolvement. After initial therapy, a split-mouth design was used in wh ich one area was treated by flap debridement surgery alone (control), and the contralateral area was treated following surgery with a 1-minu te burnishing application of 100 mg/ml TTC solution and FFSS (test). F ibrin glue was applied with a syringe on the demineralized root surfac es and surrounding bone margins. Healing by primary intention was enco uraged by flap repositioning with interrupted sutures left in place fo r 14 days. A monthly maintenance recall program was followed. Patients were clinically evaluated at baseline and 6 months and the following measurements were taken: gingival index, plaque control record, clinic al attachment level, probing depth, recession, bleeding on probing. St atistical evaluation indicated that both approaches resulted in signif icant probing depth reduction and clinical attachment gain. However, t he differences in healing between the test and control groups were not clinically nor statistically significant. These results suggest there is no additional benefit with TTC demineralization and topical FFSS a pplication in conjunction with flap debridement surgery.