Therapeutic effects of combined treatment using tetracycline-immobilized collagen film and root planing in periodontal furcation pockets

46 upper and lower molars with furcation grade II involvement were selected from 16 patients with periodontal disease. The teeth were randomly allocated to the following groups according to treatment; (1) 4 consecutive administrations of tetracycline-immobilized cross-linked collagen film (TC film) at intervals of 1 week (TC group); (2) 1 root planing treatment (RP group); (3) combination treatment (TC + RP group); (4) no treatment (control group). The therapeutic effects of each treatment were compared both clinically and microbiologically. Records of plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, probing attachment level and microscopic counts were obtained at 0, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. The results showed marked decreases in probing depth and density of micro-organisms in both the RP and TC + RP groups. In particular, the TC + RP group was characterized by a decreased rate of bleeding on pocket probing and an increased probing attachment gain. The above findings demonstrated that root planning is effective in the treatment of furcation involvement and that the effects are enhanced by the local administration of TC films.