The relationship between radiographic and clinical parameters in periodontal maintenance in class II furcation defects Associação entre parâmetros radiográficos e clínicos durante a terapia de manutenção periodontal em lesões de furca classe II

* Post-Doctoral Student, Department of Microbiology, Dental Research Institute, São Leopoldo-Mandic. ** Professor and Chairman, Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo. *** Doctor of Dental Medicine, Private Practice, Fairhope, USA. **** Professor and Chairman, Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, State University of Campinas. ***** Doctor of Dental Medicine, Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. ABSTRACT: The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between probing and radiographic parameters, and the reliability of repeated longitudinal periodontal probing measurements for early diagnosis of periodontal breakdown in class II furcation defects. Eighteen class II furcation defects in lower molars were included in this study. Standardized radiographs and clinical measurements, relative vertical clinical attachment level (CAL-v) and probing depth (PD) were obtained immediately before periodontal surgeries and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after surgery. A total of 72 pairs of radiographs were subtracted following correction for contrast and planar geometric discrepancies, and the bone loss/gain (in mm) was measured. There was no statistically significant correlation between CAL-v and bone height (BH) measurements. A statistically significant correlation for PD reduction at 24 months and BH increase at 18 months was found (r = 0.5, p < 0.05). These results suggest that clinical measurements and radiographic bone height reflect different features of periodontal destruction and periodontal healing, and repeated longitudinal measurements of vertical clinical attachment level are not reliable for early diagnosis of periodontal breakdown in class II furcation defects. DESCRIPTORS: Periodontitis; Bone; Radiography; Diagnosis; Furcation defects.