Clinical evaluation of the effect of tetracycline root preparation on guided tissue regeneration in the treatment of Class II furcation defects.

The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of tetracycline root preparation on guided tissue regeneration in the treatment of Class II furcation defects. Nine pairs of defects with horizontal clinical attachment level value > or = 5 mm comprised the study group. Measurements were made to determine presence of plaque, gingival condition, probing depth, and vertical and horizontal clinical attachment level. Defects from each pair were randomly assigned for treatment with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane (e-PTFE) and tetracycline root conditioning (100 mg/ml) or the membrane alone. The membranes were removed 4 to 6 weeks postsurgery. Patients were then seen monthly for the duration of the study. Six months postsurgery, all clinical measurements were repeated. Following either treatment, improvement was observed in all clinical parameters, particularly in horizontal clinical attachment level. However, there was not a statistically significant difference in the improvement observed between sites treated with guided tissue regeneration in conjunction with tetracycline as compared to membrane placement alone. Further studies are needed to fully evaluate tetracycline root preparation in conjunction with regenerative therapy.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes