Long-Term Prognosis of Teeth With Class II Furcation Involvement: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the survival of teeth with class II furcation involvement (FI) ≥ 5 years after active periodontal treatment (APT) and to identify the prognostic factors.

METHODS

All charts of patients having undergone APT at the Department of Periodontology of Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany, were screened for teeth with class II FI. APT had to be accomplished ≥ 5 years ago. Charts were analysed for data of class II FI teeth at baseline (T0), after APT (T1) and at the last supportive periodontal care (SPC/T2).

RESULTS

Two-hundred and twenty-two patients (age: 56.5 ± 10.1 years; 118 females; 35 active smokers; 17 diabetics, 154 stage III, 68 stage IV, 94 grade B, 128 grade C) presented 543 teeth with class II FI. Sixty-one patients lost 93 teeth (17%), on average, over 108.4 ± 36.5 months of SPC. Logistic/Cox proportional hazards mixed-model regressions associated increased tooth loss with irregular SPC (p = 0.023/0.073), premolar versus molar (p = 0.041/0.017), root canal filling (RCF) (p < 0.001) and multiple class II FI per tooth at T1 (p = 0.001/0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Of a total of 543 teeth with class II FI, 83% were retained for 108.6 ± 36.5 months. Multiple class II FI at T1, RCF, premolars and irregular SPC were found to compromise the long-term prognosis of teeth with class II FI.