Cross‐linked hyaluronic acid‐gel with or without a collagen matrix in the treatment of class III furcation defects: A histologic and histomorphometric study in dogs

Aim To histologically evaluate the effects of cross-linked hyaluronic acid (xHyA) with or without a collagen matrix (CM) on periodontal wound healing/regeneration in class III furcation defects in dogs. Materials and Methods Class III furcation defects were surgically created in the mandibular premolars in six beagle dogs. The defects were randomly treated as follows: open flap debridement (OFD) + CM (CM), OFD + xHyA (xHyA), OFD + xHyA + CM (xHyA/CM) and OFD alone (OFD). At 10 weeks, the animals were euthanized for histological evaluation. Results The newly formed bone areas in the xHyA (4.04 +/- 1.51 mm(2)) and xHyA/CM (4.32 +/- 1.14 mm(2)) groups were larger than those in the OFD (3.25 +/- 0.81 mm(2)) and CM (3.31 +/- 2.26 mm(2)) groups. The xHyA (6.25 +/- 1.45 mm) and xHyA/CM (6.40 +/- 1.35 mm) groups yielded statistically significantly (p < .05) greater formation of new connective tissue attachment (i.e., new cementum, with inserting connective tissue fibres) compared with the OFD (1.47 +/- 0.85 mm) group. No significant differences were observed in any of the histomorphometric parameters between the xHyA and xHyA/CM groups. Complete furcation closure was not observed in any of the four treatment modalities. Conclusions Within their limits, the present results suggest that the use of xHyA with or without CM positively influences periodontal wound healing in surgically created, acute-type class III furcation defects.