Clinico-radiographic evaluation of 1% alendronate gel as an adjunct and smart blood derivative platelet rich fibrin in grade II furcation defects.

BACKGROUND

The treatment of molar furcation involvement is unpredictable due to the complex anatomy and poor access for instrumentation. Previous studies have reported successful regeneration with endogenous regenerative material such as platelet rich fibrin (PRF) and bisphosphonates as alendronate (ALN). Hence, the present study was aimed to evaluate clinically and radiographically the efficacy of 1% ALN gel in combination with PRF (PRF+ALN) and PRF alone in the treatment of grade II furcation defects.

METHODS

A split mouth study with 40 bilateral furcation defects was randomly divided into PRF group and PRF+ALN group. Bone defect volume was the primary outcome evaluated at the end of 6 months with CBCT while the secondary outcomes being changes in clinical parameters including Probing pocket depth (PPD), Clinical attachment level (CAL) and Horizontal probing depth (HPD) recorded at baseline, 3 and 6 months.

RESULTS

The mean reduction in PPD, CAL and HPD was 1.85 ± 0.59 mm, 1.9 ± 0.64 mm and 1.7 ± 0.73 mm respectively for PRF group and 2.85 ± 0.88 mm, 3.05 ± 0.98 mm and 2.3 ± 0.73 mm respectively for PRF+ ALN group (p < 0.05). At the end of 6 months, mean reduction in bone defect volume for PRF and PRF+ ALN group was 8.65 ± 3.84 mm and 11.98 ± 4.13 mm respectively.

CONCLUSION

PRF+ ALN treated defects exhibited better clinical and radiographic outcomes suggestive of enhanced periodontal regeneration when compared to PRF alone treated sites.