EVALUATION OF HEIGHT OF FACIAL ALVEOLAR CREST AND POCKET DEPTH FOLLOWING PERIODONTAL FLAP SURGERY WITH AND WITHOUT CRESTAL BONE EXPOSURE

Introduction: Surgery is one treatment modality for periodontal diseases that can stimulates osteoclastic activity and results in resorption of alveolar crestal bone. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of two procedures of periodontol surgery on resorption of alveolar crestal bone. Materials & Methods: Twenty patients were selected from patients referred to our dental school. After initial therapy, the surgical treatments were performed by a surgeon and the study was performed with split mouth design. One side was treated with an apically positioned flap (APF) with bone exposure (20 quadrants) and on the opposite side APF without bone exposure (20 quadrants). At the time of surgery the distance between CEJ to bone crest was recorded. After two months, the patients were examined for the same parameters using the bone sounding technique. Results: According to the results, in sites with apically positioned flap with bone exposure, crestal resorption was 0.77±0.63 and on the opposite side it was 1.05±0.79 mm. The difference between the two sides was not significant. Pocket changes were significant in both techniques but there was not any significant differences between the two procedures. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, similar alveolar crestal bone resorption occurred during the healing process in the two procedures and this resorption may have an important role in reconstruction of biologic width. Key words: Apically positioned flap, crestal bone loss, bone exposure.