Collagen-Chitosan barrier membrane, a novel, indigenous, and economic material for management of periodontal infrabony defects - A case-Control Study

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective of periodontal treatment is to resolve the inflammatory lesion in periodontal tissues. However, the contemporary goal has become regeneration of the lost attachment apparatus through guided tissue regeneration (GTR) technique. The GTR membranes currently available in the market are expensive, which in turn warrants the identification, development, and utilization of more cost-effective and biocompatible materials as barrier membranes for GTR. Materials and Methods: The present case-control study was conducted on patients with infrabony defects having minimal or no gingival recession and with a probing depth of >4 mm and controls (12 each). It highlights the use of a newly developed fish collagen-chitosan film as a barrier membrane for the management of human infrabony defects using the principles of GTR in periodontitis subjects. Results: Infrabony defects in the test and control sites were matched at baseline. The differences in probing pocket depth within the groups at baseline and 6 months after periodontal therapy were statistically significant. After 6 months, there was statistically significant difference in the probing pocket depth between the test and control sites. Conclusion : Within its limitations, the present study showed that the collagen-chitosan film is effective as a barrier membrane for GTR therapy in infrabony defects, as it resulted in improved clinical outcome with low incidence of gingival recession and device exposure.