Prospective assessment of the use of enamel matrix derivative with minimally invasive surgery: 6-year results.

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a surgical technique using very small incisions indicated for performing regenerative therapy in periodontal defects. The 11-month results from a prospective study of MIS were previously published. This article presents the 6-year results of that prospective study.

METHODS

Patients from two private periodontal practices with advanced periodontitis who, after non-surgical therapy, had one or more sites with probing depths >or=6 mm were included in the study. An MIS surgical approach was used for all sites >or=6 mm. After surgical debridement, enamel matrix derivative (EMD) was placed into the bony defect. The surgical sites were reevaluated after >or=6 years.

RESULTS

Six-year data were available on 142 sites in 13 patients. No significant differences were noted in the results between the two offices, and the data were combined. Probing depths (mean: 3.18 mm; SD: 0.59 mm) and attachment levels (mean: 3.93 mm; SD: 0.19) at 6 years were unchanged from the 11-month measurements. No recession from preoperative levels was noted. All sites continued to be considered clinically successful.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of MIS and EMD yielded significant reductions in probing depths and improvements in attachment levels while producing no detectable recession. The 11-month results remained stable at 6 years.