Comparative Evaluation of the Efficacy of Bioactive Ceramic Composite Granules Alone and in Combination with Platelet Rich Fibrin in the Treatment of Mandibular Class II Furcation Defects: A Clinical and Radiographic Study.

INTRODUCTION

Predictable closure of furcation defects with bone grafts, Guided Tissue Regeneration (GTR) and a combination of the two has remained an elusive goal so far. Hence, evaluation of biomimetic agents as candidate technologies for periodontal regeneration merit due consideration. In this study, Choukroun's Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF), a second generation platelet concentrate, is combined with bone graft to examine if the addition enhances the therapeutic potential of bone graft in the management of Class II furcation defects.

AIM

To evaluate and compare the clinical effectiveness of Bioactive Ceramic Composite Granules (BCCG) alone and in combination with PRF in the treatment of mandibular Class II furcation defects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty mandibular Class II furcation defects in 16 systemically healthy patients were randomly allocated to test and control groups. Test sites were treated with PRF and bone graft, while control sites were treated with BCCG alone. Soft tissue parameters (probing pocket depth and clinical attachment loss), hard tissue parameters (vertical and horizontal depth of furcation defects) and radiographic parameter (radiographic alveolar bone density) were measured at baseline and six months post surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed rank test for intragroup comparison of parameters and Mann-Whitney U test for intergroup comparison.

RESULTS

Statistically significant improvement was observed in the test group compared to the control group with respect to all the measured parameters. However, complete furcation closure was not observed at any of the treated sites.

CONCLUSION

Adjunctive use of PRF with bone graft may be a more effective treatment modality in the management of mandibular Class II furcation defects when compared to bone graft alone.