Treatment of Class II Furcation Defects with Guided Tissue Regeneration or Enamel Matrix Derivative Proteins – A 12-Month Comparative Clinical Study

Furcation lesions are associated with increased risk of progressive loss of connective tissue attachment, alveolar bone resorption, and tooth mortality (Bjorn and Hjort, 1982; Becker et al, 1984; Wang et al, 1994; Wood et al, 1989; Hirshfield and Wasserman, 1978; McFall, 1982; Carranza and Jolkovsky, 1991), representing one of the greatest challenges in periodontal therapy. Surgical management permits access for root debridement and decontamination, odontoplasty, osseous recontouring and periodontal regeneration. These procedures aim at the interruption of the disease process, the preservation of the remaining periodontal attachment and most importantly in the case of regenerative therapy the formation of new alveolar bone, new cementum and functionally inserted new periodontal ligament fibres. Successful outcome of furcation defects treatment is clinically defined by the elimination of horizontal and vertical defect components by bone fill. Treatment of Class II Furcation Defects with Guided Tissue Regeneration or Enamel Matrix Derivative Proteins – A 12-Month Comparative Clinical Study