The diagnosis and management of vertical defects within the furcation

This article describes two common varieties of osseous lesions within the furcation--hemifurcal and crescent-intrafurcal defects--and their appropriate management. Although hemifurcal lesions are difficult to assess both radiographically and clinically, once they are diagnosed, they can be readily resolvable using a self-regeneration procedure or an osseous graft. Crescent-intrafurcal defects are more common than hemifurcal lesions and can be discerned more easily on radiographs than clinically. The treatment of a crescent-intrafurcal defect focuses on minimizing the vertical component. Self-regeneration or osseous grafting is considered an appropriate treatment course.