Evaluation of hyaluronic acid gel with or without acellular dermal matrix allograft in the treatment of class II furcation defects in dogs: A histologic and histomorphometric study

AIM: To evaluate the histologic and histomorphometric effects of hyaluronic acid (HA) gel with or without acellular dermal matrix allograft (ADMA) on periodontal regeneration in Class II furcation defects in dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Class II furcation defects were surgically created in the mandibular first and second premolars bilaterally in eight beagle dogs. The Class II furcation defects were assigned randomly, using the split-mouth design, into the test and control sides. The teeth on the test sides were equally and randomly divided into the HA/ADMA group (n = 8) treated with 0.8% HA gel followed by ADMA, and the HA-only group (n = 8) treated with 0.8% HA only. The furcation defects of the control sides (n = 16) were subjected to open flap debridement (OFD group). The animals were euthanized for histologic and histomorphometric analyses after one month (n = 4) and three months (n = 4). RESULTS: At one month, the newly formed bone area (NFBA) was larger in the HA/ADMA (6.23 ± 1.41 mm(2)) and HA-only (5.90 ± 1.43 mm(2)) groups than in the OFD group (2.42 ± 1.62 mm(2)) (p < 0.05). The newly formed cementum (NFAC) and periodontal ligament (NFPL) were similar in the HA/ADMA and HA-only groups but significantly lesser in the OFD group (p < 0.05.) At three months, the NFBA, NFAC, and NFPL were greater in the HA/ADMA group than in the HA-only group (p < 0.05). New regenerative tissue was significantly greater in both the test groups than in the OFD group (p < 0.05), while epithelial downgrowth predominated the healing in the latter. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that HA with ADMA positively affects the periodontal regeneration and wound healing in Class II furcation defects.