GUIDED TISSUE REGENERATION IN THE TREATMENT OF DEGREE-III FURCATION DEFECTS IN MAXILLARY MOLARS

11 subjects with generalized periodontitis and advanced lesions in the maxillary molar regions, including bilateral mesial-distal, but not b uccal, degree III furcation defects in the Ist and/or 2nd molars, were recruited for the present clinical trial. The patients were given ora l hygiene instruction and full-mouth sealing and root planing. A re-ex amination was performed after 3 months of healing, after which the fur cation involved molars were randomly selected for a GTR or conservativ e treatment modality. An informed consent form was signed by each part icipating patient. The GTR procedure involved the elevation of mucoper iostal flaps, root surface debridement, and the placement of an e-PFTE membrane at the 2 entrances of the furcation defect. The flaps were r epositioned and secured. The contralateral molar was treated in an ide ntical manner but without the placement of the teflon membrane. The pa tients received amoxicillin (1 g x 2/day for 8 days), were placed on c hlorhexidine mouth rinsing and were recalled for prophylaxis Ix every 2 weeks. The teflon membranes were removed at a 2nd stage procedure af ter 6 weeks. All subjects were re-examined 6 months after the regenera tive procedure, and in addition, all sites were evaluated following a re-entry procedure. The final examination and measurements made during the re-entry procedure documented that, although some reduction in pr obing pocket depth and some gain in probing attachment had occurred at both test and control sites, none of the furcation defects had closed , but retained the characteristics of a degree-III furcation involveme nt.