Objective: Evaluation of the 10-year results after GTR-therapy of infrabony defects using two bioabsorbable barriers in a randomized-controlled clinical trial.
Material and methods: In 15 patients with periodontitis, 15 pairs of infrabony defects were treated. For each patient, one defect received a polydioxanon (test: T) and the other received a polylactide acetyltributyl citrate (control: C) barrier by random assignment. At baseline, 12 and 120 +/- 6 months after surgery, the clinical parameters and standardized radiographs were obtained.
Results: Nine patients were available for the 120-month re-examinations. Twelve and 120 +/- 6 months after therapy statistically significant (p<or=0.004) vertical probing attachment level (PAL-V) gain was found in both groups (T12: 3.9 +/- 1.6 mm; T120: 2.4 +/- 1.8 mm; C12: 4.0 +/- 1.1 mm; C120: 2.4 +/- 1.7 mm). From 12 to 120 months both groups experienced PAL-V loss (T: 1.4 +/- 1.5 mm, p=0.021; C: 1.6 +/- 2.5 mm, p=0.09). After 120 month, two teeth were lost in the control group (one periapical lesion, and one due to unknown reason). The study failed to show statistically significant differences between both groups regarding PAL-V gain 120 months after surgery.
Conclusions: PAL-V gain achieved after GTR therapy in infrabony defects using both bioabsorbable barriers was stable after 10 years in 15 of 22 defects (68%).