GUIDED TISSUE REGENERATION OF DEEP INTRABONY DEFECTS IN STRATEGICALLYIMPORTANT PROSTHETIC ABUTMENTS

This study reports the clinical outcomes obtained in a longitudinal co hort of 23 patients treated by guided tissue regeneration for strategi cally important teeth compromised by the presence of deep intrabony de fects. After completion of initial periodontal therapy and placement o f a provisional tired partial denture, a nonresorbable e-PTFE membrane was applied to isolate the defect. Changes in probing attachment leve l, probing pocket depths, and radiographic bone support were evaluated 12 months after removal of the membrane. Clinically and statistically significant improvements in outcome measurements were observed: a pro bing attachment level gain of 5.3 +/- 7.7 mm, a reduction in probing p ocket depths of 6.1 +/- 2 mm, and an increase in the percentage of rad iographic bone support of 31% +/- 18%. The results obtained were highl y reproducible with 91.3% of the cases resulting in probing attachment level gains of 4 mm or more. The evidence provided in this investigat ion indicates that guided tissue regeneration can predictably increase the functional support and possibly improve the prognosis of strategi cally important abutments. Guided tissue regeneration therapy should t herefore, be one of the options discussed in treatment planning for co mplex peridontal-prosthetic cases.