Autologous periodontal ligament cells in the treatment of class <scp>III</scp> furcation defects: a study in dogs

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Aim</jats:title><jats:p>This study aimed to evaluate, histomorphometrically, the use of periodontal ligament cells (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PDL</jats:styled-content> cells) in the treatment of class <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">III</jats:styled-content> furcation defects.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Material and Methods</jats:title><jats:p><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PDL</jats:styled-content> cells were obtained from the mandibular tooth extracted from each dog (7), cultured in vitro and phenotypically characterized. Bilateral class <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">III</jats:styled-content> furcation defects were created at mandibular 3rd and 4th premolars and were randomly assigned to: Control Group: coronally positioned flap, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GTR</jats:styled-content> Group: <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GTR</jats:styled-content>, Sponge Group: carrier + <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GTR</jats:styled-content>, Cell Group: carrier + <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PDL</jats:styled-content> cells + <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GTR</jats:styled-content>.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>After 3 months of healing, data analysis demonstrated that the Cell Group presented a superior length of new cementum (4.82 ± 0.61 mm; 3.66 ± 0.95 mm; 2.87 ± 0.74 mm and 1.70 ± 0.60 mm, <jats:italic>p </jats:italic>< 0.001), a greater extension of periodontal regeneration (3.43 ± 1.44 mm; 2.33 ± 0.95 mm; 1.52 ± 0.39 mm and 0.69 ± 0.59 mm, <jats:italic>p </jats:italic>= 0.001) and a larger area of new bone (5.45 ± 1.58 mm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>; 3.94 ± 1.52 mm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>; 2.91 ± 0.56 mm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> and 1.89 ± 0.95 mm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>, <jats:italic>p </jats:italic>= 0.0012), when compared with Sponge, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GTR</jats:styled-content> and Control Group, respectively.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PDL</jats:styled-content> cells in association with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GTR</jats:styled-content> may significantly promote periodontal regeneration in class <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">III</jats:styled-content> furcation defects surgically created in dogs.</jats:p></jats:sec>