The use of collagen membrane barriers in conjunction with combined demineralized bone-collagen gel implants in human infrabony defects.

The present study evaluated the clinical efficacy of a combined graft of autolysed antigen-extracted allogeneic (AAA) bone and microfibrillar collagen (Zyderm) covered with a resorbable collagen membrane in human infrabony defects. The results were compared at 1 year with debrided controls, AAA bone grafts alone, combined AAA bone-collagen grafts (without membrane), and debrided defects covered only with collagen membranes. Ten adult patients having moderate periodontitis and one or more radiographically detectable angular defects probing 6 mm to 7 mm in each quadrant were included. Preoperative measurements of clinical attachment, probing depth, and recession were taken and compared at 1 year following surgery. Measurements at the time of surgery and at 1 year re-entry evaluated osseous defect fill and crestal changes. Each patient received the 5 treatment modalities. Treatment results per patient were used for a series of 2-way analyses of variance. When a significant difference was found, a Student-Newman-Keuls multiple range test was used to determine which treatments were statistically different (0.05 probability level) from each other. All treatment modalities showed improvement over the debrided controls. Similar advantages to using bone-collagen grafts with and without membranes were found in reducing probing depths and gaining new attachment. Significant differences were found when comparing the multifaceted bone graft collagen-membrane technique to all others in achieving superior defect fill. Ninety three percent of all defects treated resulted in 50% or greater fill.