EFFECTS OF CEMENTUM-IMPREGNATED GELATIN MEMBRANE ON EARLY HEALING FOLLOWING PERIODONTAL FLAP SURGERY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the initial healing respo nse of surgically flapped periodontal tissues in the presence of gelat ine membrane compounded with particles of cementum, Pour monkeys with no periodontal disease were used in this experiment, Full thickness fl aps were raised and recession type defects were created on the buccal side of the maxillary lateral incisors and second premolars, Exposed r oot surfaces were thoroughly curetted, and composite cementum-impregna ted membranes placed directly onto planed root surfaces, Flaps were th en sutured back to the original position, Animals were sacrificed at 2 , 4, 7 and 10 post-surgical days, and block specimens including the to oth, gingiva and bone were subsequently processed for light and electr on microscopy, The resultant analysis revealed that gelatine membranes were partially resorbed at 2 days post-surgery and completely resorbe d by 10 postoperative days, In the early stages of gelatine resorption , most liberated cementum particles accumulated on planed dentin surfa ce but some became demineralized within the surgical wound, Cementobla st-like cells with well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum appeared on the root surface 7 days following surgery, Newly synthesized colla gen fibrils aligned parallel to the root surface were seen at 10 post- surgical days, The results suggest that the newly developed composite membrane enhances the formation of new periodontal attachment.