Clinical and histological results with Tutodent Chips and Tutodent membrane

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate clinically and histologically the healing of deep intrabony defects treated with a combination of a new bovine derived xenograft and a bioresorbable collagen membrane.

Methods: 22 patients, each of whom displayed one deep intrabony defect were consecutively included in the study. Regenerative treatment consisted of open flap debridement, defect fill with a bovine derived xenograft (Tutodent® Chips, Tutogen, Neunkirchen am Brand, Germany) and application of a bioresorbable collagen membrane (Tutodent®, Tutogen, Neunkirchen am Brand, Germany). The results were evaluated at 1 and 3 years following therapy. Furthermore, three teeth scheduled for extraction for advanced periodontitis and further prosthodontic considerations were treated in exactly the same way as described above. At 6 months, the teeth were extracted together with their surrounding periodontal tissues and evaluated histologically.

Results: Healing was uneventful in all patients. Mean clinical attachment level (CAL) changed from 9.7 ± 1.6 mm to 5.6 ± 1.4 mm (p< 0.001) and to 5.9 ± 1.1 mm (p<0.001) at 1 and 3 years respectively. No statistical significant differences were found between the 1 and 3 year results. The histological evaluation revealed in all three cases formation of new cellular cementum and new periodontal ligament. The graft particles appeared to be embedded in connective tissue with limited evidence of new bone formation.

Conclusions: within their limits the present results indicate that a) regenerative surgery with this technique may result in formation of new cementum and new periodontal ligament, and b) the clinical results can be maintained over a period of 3 years.

The present study was supported in part by Tutodent, Neunkirchen am Brand, Germany.