Changes of Periodontal Conditions of First and Second Molars With Furcation Involvement Grade II or III ‐ a Retrospective Analysis of 14 to 17 Year Follow‐up

ABSTRACT Objective This retrospective analysis aimed to evaluate the clinical changes and survival rate of first and second molars with furcation involvement (F‐Inv) grades II and III after completion of non‐surgical active periodontal therapy (APT) and subsequent supportive periodontal therapy (SPT), with a minimum follow‐up period of 14 years. Methods Retrospective data collection and analysis were conducted on patients with moderate to severe adult periodontitis aged > 35 years, with at least one first or second molar with F‐Inv grades II or III. Changes in clinical conditions of the molars with F‐Inv were assessed, recording the number and classification of molars with F‐Inv, and probing pocket depth (PPD) measurements at six sites per molar. Patient‐related variables including % sites with PPD ≤ 5 mm, % bleeding on probing (BOP), tooth loss (TL), smoking status, diabetes, age and duration of SPT were also extracted. Correlations between these patient‐related variables and those related with F‐Inv molars were calculated. Results The analysis included 197 patients with 424 first and second molars with F‐Inv grades II and III. At the latest SPT evaluation (T1), 37% of patients achieved an overall PPD ≤ 5 mm. While 66.8% of the molars with F‐Inv were retained, a significant number were lost. Mean PPD and percentage of sites with PPD > 5 mm decreased significantly from intake (T0) to T1 for these molars. Overall TL was estimated at an annual rate of 0.21 teeth lost per patient. A higher percentage of sites with PPD > 5 mm at T0 and T1 was correlated with a higher risk of molar loss. Smoking, age, % sites with PPD > 5 mm at T0, and % BOP at T0 correlated with increased TL. Conclusion Following non‐surgical APT and SPT over a period 14–17 years, 66.8% of the molars with F‐Inv grades II and III were effectively maintained. Loss of molars was higher with F‐Inv III. Risk factors for molar loss included high % of sites with PPD > 5 mm at T0 and T1. For overall TL Smoking, age, a high percentage of sites with a PPD > 5 mm, and a high BOP percentage were identified as risk factors.