Hl. Wang et al., EVALUATION OF AN ABSORBABLE COLLAGEN MEMBRANE IN TREATING CLASS-II FURCATION DEFECTS, Journal of periodontology, 65(11), 1994, pp. 1029-1036
RECENT RESEARCH HAS FOCUSED upon the utilization of an absorbable coll
agen membrane in guided tissue regeneration (GTR). Concern exists as t
o whether this type of membrane is beneficial in the treatment of peri
odontal defects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect
of a type I bovine collagen membrane on treatment of Class II furcatio
n defects. Twelve systemically healthy patients (six male and six fema
le, ages 32 to 68) were treated. Each had bilateral mandibular furcati
on defects with attachment loss greater than or equal to 6 mm. Prior t
o surgery all patients completed initial therapy including scaling and
root planing. At the time of the surgery, teeth were randomly assigne
d to either a control (flap debridement alone) or test (flap debrideme
nt plus collagen membrane) group. Data were collected on the day of su
rgery, and 2, 4, and 6 months post-surgery and at the 12 month re-entr
y surgery. Clinical measurements included probing depth (PD), clinical
attachment level (CAL), gingival recession (GR), stent to base of def
ect (SB), crestal bone to base of defect (CB), width of defect, and mo
bility. Statistical analysis was per formed utilizing the paired t tes
t. Both control and test groups demonstrated significant (P < 0.05) im
provement at 12 months re-entry in PD, CAL,SB, and CB when compared to
the presurgery status. While there is no significant difference in PD
, CAL, GR, width of defect, and mobility between control and test grou
ps, sites treated with the collagen membrane had significantly higher
bone fill (SB and CB) at re-entry. A significant improvement of furcat
ion horizontal bone repair and defect improvement was noted in the col
lagen membranes-treated sites as compared to the presurgery status. No
foreign body reaction was observed in either group during this study.
This study suggests that the use of absorbable collagen membrane may
have beneficial effects in the treatment of Class II furcal defects.