CLINICAL-EVALUATION OF A BIOABSORBABLE REGENERATIVE MATERIAL IN MANDIBULAR CLASS-II FURCATION THERAPY

30 periodontally compromised adult subjects with mandibular buccal cla ss II furcation defects were recruited for this study. All selected de fects were treated according to the biological principles of guided ti ssue regeneration. The subjects were randomly assigned to 2 parallel g roups. The test group (n=15) received a biaabsorbable polyglycolic-pol ylactic membrane (PGA/PLA group); the control group (n=15) received a non-resorbable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane (ePTFE group) . After initial therapy, baseline measurements were recorded including plaque index, gingival index, vertical and horizontal probing depths, clinical attachment level and depth of the recession. Recall visits w ere made at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. At 12 months, all baselin e clinical parameters were again measured. The data analysis did not d emonstrate a significant difference between the 2 groups. The vertical probing depth and attachment level changes were statistically signifi cant in each group. The postoperative recession was 0.6 mm in the ePTF E group (p<0.05) and 0.8 mm (p<0.05) in the PGA/PLA group. Compared to the initial measurements, the mean changes in horizontal probing dept h were 2.7 mm and 2.5 mm (p<0.001), corresponding to mean reductions o f 41.5% and 40.9% for the ePTFE and the PGA/PLA groups respectively. T he results of this study suggest that 12 months after initial surgery, similar clinical improvements can be obtained in GTR therapy of bucca l class II furcation lesions, regardless of whether bioabsorbable PGA/ PLA membranes or non-resorbable ePTFE membranes are used.