Improved closure rate of Class III furcations using a layered GTR technique

In this study, 24 furcation defects in 12 patients were treated by either ( 1) a polylactide resorbable membrane (Guidor) plus a polyglactin mesh (Vicr yl) and demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA), or (2) a polylac tide resorbable membrane and DFDBA. All defects were reentered after 9 mont hs. Class III furcations closed 66% of the time when treated by the first m ethod, while the closure rate was only 33% when treated by the second metho d (no polyglactin mesh). Defects with a vertical opening of less than or eq ual to 4 mm closed 74% of the time, while those with vertical openings > 4 mm dosed only 11% of the time.