Guided tissue regeneration in Class II furcation defects using a resorbable polylactic acid barrier.

PURPOSE: To evaluate, clinically, the use of guided tissue regeneration (GTR) with a resorbable polylactic acid membrane (Atrisorb) in the treatment of Class II furcation defects in humans.

METHODS

The study included 10 patients with two comparable Class II furcations in lower molars. The lesions were randomly assigned to one of the treatments: GTR with an Atrisorb resorbable membrane (test) or open flap debridement (control). The following clinical parameters were recorded before the surgeries (baseline) and after a healing period of 6 months: relative vertical clinical attachment level, relative horizontal clinical attachment level, probing depths, position of the gingival margin and width of the keratinized tissue.

RESULTS

After the intra-group comparison (baseline versus 6 months), statistically significant differences were found for the parameters: probing depth, relative vertical clinical attachment level and relative horizontal clinical attachment level, in both groups (P < 0.05). Comparing the two groups, a statistically significant difference was found in the probing depth reduction favoring the GTR group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the other parameters.