Histologic evaluation of guided tissue regeneration using 4 barrier membranes: a comparative furcation study in dogs

This study evaluated and compared four different barrier membrane materials used to treat class II mandibular premolar and molar furcations in seven dogs with naturally occurring periodontitis. Five class II furcation defects in each animal were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups or to a control group. Each defect was treated by surgical debridement, root planing, and barrier membrane coverage with one of the four test materials or no barrier membrane (control). Thus, each animal served as its own control. Following 6 months of healing, block sections were used to histologically measure the amount of regenerated tissue and stereometrically enumerate the inflammatory cell infiltration observed with each of the treatment modalities. The four barrier membrane materials (polycarbonate filter, silicone rubber, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and polycaprolactone) all provided a wound healing environment that promoted new cementum formation, with mean values ranging from 1.96 +/- 0.031 mm to 2.18 +/- 0.015 mm, and facilitated alveolar bone regeneration, with mean values ranging from 1.18 +/- 0.019 mm to 1.44 +/- 0.014 mm. Control-treated sites showed mean values of only 0.24 +/- 0.007 mm new cementum formation and 0.32 +/- 0.017 mm bone fill. Polycarbonate filter and polycaprolactone membrane barriers elicited a significantly greater chronic inflammatory cell response of lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltrates as compared to expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and silicone rubber, which were comparable to control-treated sites.