Objectives: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the long-term results of periodontal tissues in regenerated infrabony and furcation defects.
Material and methods: A search of the Medline database was performed (1960 to 2012), complimented by an additional hand search. For inclusion in the review, clinical trials had to include the long-term evaluation of infrabony and furcation defects submitted to periodontal regeneration for up to 3 years of follow-up. Changes in clinical attachment level (CAL) from pre-surgery, at the first post-surgical, and final evaluations were used to analyze the effects of regenerative treatments over time.
Results: A total of 866 articles were found using the descriptors employed. Of these, 216 papers were selected for abstract reading by two evaluators. One hundred and eighty-nine were excluded for not fulfilling the eligibility criteria. Twenty-seven papers were selected for the analysis of the full texts, and 13 were excluded. Two studies were included after a manual search. Finally, 16 papers were selected for the present review.
Conclusions: Regenerative techniques for the treatment of infrabony and furcation defects resulted in improved CAL during long-term follow-up periods, even when attachment losses occurred during this period. This improvement should be carefully evaluated with regard to its clinical relevance for dental longevity.
Clinical relevance: The improvement in clinical attachment level achieved by regenerative techniques with biomaterials demonstrated satisfactory results over the long-term. However, regenerative techniques still present different success rates with regard to gain in clinical attachment level.