Guided tissue regeneration in the treatment of human infrabony defects - Clinical, radiographical and microbiological results: a pilot study

The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical, radiographical and microbiological outcome after using guided tissue regeneration (GTR) with a bioabsorbable membrane, Resolut(R). Subjects with bilateral infrabony defects at single rooted teeth were selected. A total of 22 teeth, 2 in each 1 of 7 patients and 4 in 2 patients, with probing pocket depth greater than or equal to 5 mm, 3 months after scaling, participated. At baseline, assessments of plaque and gingival indices, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth and probing attachment level were recorded and reproducible radiographs for computer-based bone level measurements were taken. Bacterial samples were collected to investigate the presence of periodontitis-associated bacteria, e.g., Porphyromonas/Prevotella- and Fusobactrium-like micro-organisms. One tooth nas randomly treated with GTR and the contralateral with an open debridement procedure as a control. Clinical, radiographical and microbiological examinations were repeated 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Both procedures demonstrated a statistically significant improvement of gingival conditions, reduction of pocket depths and gain of attachment. When evaluating the differences between test and control teeth, none of the clinical parameters yielded statistical differerence. Computer-based bone-level measurements showed only small differences in the majority of both test and control sites. The differences were not significant. Periodontitis-associated bacteria were present at baseline, but the appearance was not related to any specific site or patient and did not demonstrate any unwanted change in the 6- and 12-month samples. The findings suggest that the clinical, radiographical and microbiological improvements were not significantly enhanced with the GTR therapy.