Clinical evaluation of a combined regenerative technique with enamel matrix derivative, bone grafts, and guided tissue regeneration

The goal of this study was to evaluate the clinical changes obtained when intra-bony defects were treated with an enamel matrix derivative (EMD), a bone graft, and guided tissue regeneration. Fifty patients with a periodontal defect not associated with a furcation and with an attachment loss of at least 7.0 mm were included in this study. Full-thickness flaps were reflected, the roots were planed, EMD was applied, a demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft combined with EMD was placed, a bioabsorbable membrane was placed, and more EMD was applied. The defect areas were then sutured. At a mean of 5.3 months after treatment, there was a mean increase in recession of 0.7 mm, a mean reduction in probing depth of 5.7 mm, and a mean gain in attachment level of 5.0 mm. In this study there was more recession in smokers than in nonsmokers and in defects associated with anterior teeth. Additionally, the deeper defects (those with greater probing depths and attachment level loss) had the greatest reductions in probing depth and gains in attachment level. Based on this study, this technique proved itself to be an effective method to improve the clinical situation when treating periodontal defects not involving furcations.