Treatment of intrabony defects with modified perforated membranes in aggressive periodontitis: a 4-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To assess long-term outcomes 4 years following guided tissue regeneration (GTR) of intrabony defects in patients diagnosed with aggressive periodontitis (AgP) and (2) to identify predictors of clinical attachment level (CAL) gain and bone/graft density gain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 15 patients, two deep intrabony defects were randomly treated with xenogenic graft plus modified perforated membranes (MPM, tests) or xenogenic graft plus standard collagen membranes (CM, controls). After 4 years, clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated and compared with outcomes at baseline and after 1 year. RESULTS: After 4 years, 14 test sites and 13 control sites were available for analysis. One tooth was lost as a result of root fracture. There were significant improvements in all evaluated parameters after 1 and 4 years in relation to baseline, but no differences were observed between tests and controls. However, some non-significant changes were found between 1 and 4 years. Regression analyses showed that recurrence of periodontitis was a significant predictor for CAL gain (p = 0.001) and bone/graft density gain (p = 0.024) from 1 to 4 years. CONCLUSIONS: GTR of intrabony defects in AgP with either standard or modified CM yielded similarly successful and maintainable clinical benefits for compromised teeth 4 years following the surgery. The use of MPM showed no additional benefit. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study demonstrates that most of the positive outcomes of GTR in AgP may be preserved over 4 years. Periodontitis recurrence might influence long-term outcomes.