Treatment of molar furcation involvement using root separation and a crown and sleeve-coping telescopic denture. A longitudinal study.

Because of the inconsistent results of periodontal and prosthetic therapy, periodontists may choose to treat maxillary molar furcation involvements (FI) with poor root morphology utilizing a root resection technique (RRT). In addition, poor root morphology of the remaining root following RRT is usually considered a high risk factor for long-term periodontal and prosthetic success. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the differences in the clinical periodontal parameters between molar abutments with and without molar root separation and/or resection (RSR) before and after periodontal and prosthetic therapy, using a crown and sleeve-coping telescopic denture (CSCTD). A total of 85 molars (47 maxillary and 38 mandibular) were treated in 25 subjects. There were 33 abutments without root separation/resection and 52 abutments with RSR. Forty-three CSCTD were placed, 23 in the maxillary arch and 20 in the mandibular arch. The mean observation period was 6.7+/-1.9 years (range, 5 to 13 years). The plaque index, gingival index, probing depth, clinical attachment level, and alveolar bone change were recorded. The differences in these parameters before and after periodontal and prosthetic therapy between the advanced furcation-involved molars with and without RSR were evaluated. The results revealed a remarkable improvement in the periodontal parameters in advanced Class II and Class III FI in molars with RSR as compared to those without RSR. It was, therefore, concluded that molar abutments with RSR in conjunction with a specifically designed telescopic device provide a modified approach for treating molars with advanced Class II and III FI.