Periodontal repair in dogs: evaluation of the natural disease
Homogeneity in defect size is critical for the sensitivity of the model in discriminating treatment effects. This study evaluated anatomical variation in beagle dog mandibular premolar natural periodontal disease defects relative to statistical analysis of periodontal reconstructive therapy. Mean defect height and standard deviation for left and right jaw quadrants was 3.6 ± 0.9 and 3.3 ± 0.6mm for P2, 3.3 ± 0.9 and 2.3 ± 0.9 mm for P3, and 3.3 ± 1.0 and 4.5 ± 1.6 mm for P4, respectively. Comparing mean defect height for left and right jaw quadrants (3.4 and 3.3 mm, respectively) the degree of variability decreases, yet large coefficients of variation (26% and 40%, respectively) reflect lack of uniformity between defects. This disparity suggests that natural disease defects are limited in ability to discriminate treatment effects between jaw quadrants. Hence, periodontal regeneration potential in these defects may not necessarily be comparable. [E.L.H.]
Haney, J.M., G.J. Zimmerman, and U.M.E. Wikesjo, J Clin Periodont, 22:208, 1995