Restoration of periodontal attachment employing enriched collagen solution in the dog

Three wall intrabony defects were produced in 11 dogs using a round bur followed by curettes and hoes. A copper band was fixed to the tooth with stainless steel ligature wire. Six weeks later, the copper band was removed and the defect was treated with an enriched collagen solution (ECS) prepared from acid-extracted dog skin collagen. Thirty-three defects were treated with ECS and 33 defects were controls. Healing was assessed histologically 4 and 6 weeks after treatment for the presence of new cementum, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone, as well as arrested epithelial downgrowth along the dental root. Unlike the controls, treatment with ECS resulted in restoration of periodontal attachment after 4 weeks. This included formation of new cementum, new alveolar bone and dense connective tissue fiber running between bone and cementum. Control sections showed epithelial migration along the root, separating it from the adjacent connective tissue and thus preventing new attachment.