Long-term results of guided tissue regeneration therapy with non-resorbable and bioabsorbable barriers. II. A case series of infrabony defects.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this 5-year follow-up case series was to clinically and radiographically evaluate the long-term results after guided tissue regeneration (GTR) therapy of infrabony defects using non-resorbable and bioabsorbable barriers.

METHODS

In 12 patients with advanced chronic periodontitis 12 pairs of contralateral infrabony defects were treated. Within each patient one defect received a non-resorbable (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene [ePTFE]; control: C) and the other a bioabsorbable (polyglactin 910; test: T) barrier by random assignment. At baseline and at 6 and 60 +/- 3 months after surgery clinical parameters and standardized radiographs were obtained. Gain of bone density within infrabony defects was assessed using subtraction radiography.

RESULTS

Eight of 12 patients were available for the 60-month reexaminations. Six and 60 +/- 3 months after GTR therapy statistically significant (P < 0.05) vertical attachment (CAL-V) gain was observed in both groups (C6:2.6 +/- 1.4 mm; C60: 1.6 +/- 1.5 mm; T6:3.0+/- 1.7 mm; T60: 3.0 +/- 0.7mm). However at 60 months, 2 infrabony defects in the control group had lost all the attachment that had been gained 6 months after therapy and a clinically relevant but statistically in significant mean CAL-V loss of 1.0 +/- 2.1 mm was observed from 6 to 60 months. The case series failed to show statistically significant differences between test and control regarding CAL-V gain 60 months after surgery. Also subtraction analysis failed to reveal statistically significant differences regarding density gain between both groups 6 and 60 months postsurgically (C6: 26.4 +/- 54.2; C60 62.8 +/- 112.7; T6: 68.7 +/- 72.8; T60. 84.1 +/- 83.6).

CONCLUSIONS

CAL-V gain achieved after GTR therapy in infrabony defects using both non-resorbable and bioabsorbable barriers was quite stable after 5 years in 14 of 16 defects.