Histologic assessment of healing after the use of a bioresorbable membrane in the management of buccal bone loss concomitant with periradicular surgery.

Histological and morphometric assessment of periradicular wound healing was made after the use of a bioresorbable membrane over a buccal dehiscence. The third and fourth premolar teeth of nine dogs were resected and buccal defects created. Teeth were assigned randomly to the membrane or control group. One tooth in each quadrant received a membrane, covering both roots. The other tooth received no further treatment and served as a control. The animals were killed and specimens were assessed at two time periods: 9 wk and 27 wk. The 27-wk membrane group exhibited significantly more (p = 0.004) connective tissue height than the control group or either of the 9-wk groups. The amount of regenerated alveolar bone was significantly greater for the 27-wk membrane group than for the control (p = 0.001) and 9-wk groups. Mean junctional epithelium measurements were significantly greater (p = 0.012) for the control. The use of a bioresorbable membrane enhances bone regeneration when a buccal defect exists at the time of periradicular surgery.