Comparative study of collagen and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membranes in the treatment of human class II furcation defects.

The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in clinical attachment when either a non-resorbable ePTFE membrane or an absorbable collagen membrane was used as a barrier during surgical treatment of class II molar furcation defects. Thirteen patients, mean age 43.2 years, with two comparable class II molar defects were treated using a split mouth design. Pre-surgical standardized probings were made using an automated probe at a constant force of 25 grams. Four to 6 weeks after initial therapy, the furcations were surgically debrided, the membranes placed to occlude separate furcation defects in each patient, and the sites closed. The ePTFE membrane was removed 6 weeks after placement. Six months postsurgery, the clinical measurements were repeated. Student t test was used to compare the results. There were no significant differences in the mean initial measurements between the treatment groups. The mean decrease in vertical probing depth was 1.40 +/- 1.68 mm for the collagen treated sites and 1.07 +/- 0.81 mm for the ePTFE treated sites. The decrease in horizontal probing depth was 1.49 +/- 1.97 mm for the collagen treated sites and 0.79 +/- 2.16 mm for the ePTFE treated sites. No significant differences were found between any of the clinical parameters measured. Based on the results of this short-term clinical study, the absorbable collagen membrane was statistically equivalent to the non-resorbable ePTFE membrane in the clinical resolution of class II furcation defects.