TREATMENT OF MANDIBULAR CLASS-III PERIODONTAL FURCATION DEFECTS - CORONALLY POSITIONED FLAPS WITH AND WITHOUT EXPANDED POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE MEMBRANES

TWENTY-SIX MANDIBULAR CLASS III FURCATION DEFECTS were treated in 26 s ubjects using a regenerative therapy that included citric acid root co nditioning, placement of freeze-dried decalcified bone allograft and c oronally positioned flaps secured by crown-attached sutures. In additi on to this therapy, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membranes were placed in 14 of the 26 defects. The effect of these therapies wa s evaluated after 52 to 60 weeks through a series of soft and hard tis sue probing measurements including residual furcation classification. For both treatments, mean improvements were observed for furcal probin g attachment levels, furcal bone levels, and defect volumes. However, only a few of these through-and-through defects had become closed as j udged by a panel of 3 independent examiners. Four defects in each of t he 2 treatment groups had changed from Class III to Class I/II or Clas s II/II evaluated with the soft tissue in place. One defect treated wi thout membrane and 3 defects treated with membranes had changed from C lass III to Class II as recorded after reflection of the soft tissues at re-entry. Little difference was observed between defects treated wi th and without membranes. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer observation times are needed to fully evaluate these regenerat ive procedures and their potential for healing Class III furcation def ects.