Effect of hyaluronic acid with a collagen sponge scaffold in the treatment of intra-bony defects of chronic periodontitis

Aim This randomized split mouth study evaluated the effect of hyaluronic acid HA gel in a collagen sponge in the treatment of intra-bony periodontal defects. Materials and Methods Twenty sites of intrabony defects in 10 systemically healthy patients with chronic moderate periodontitis were randomly distributed into two groups, 10 sites each. Group I treated with open flap debridement and collagen sponge soaked in placebo gel. Group II treated with open flap debridement and HA gel-soaked collagen sponge. Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured at baseline, three months after surgery, and six months after that. Cone beam computed tomography was used to assess bone density, defect depth (DD), defect width (DW), and defect area (DA) at baseline and six months after surgery (BD). Results Group II showed statistically significant improvement in plaque index, BOP, PPD and CAL at 3- and 6-month intervals, while group I showed statistically significant improvement regarding all clinical parameters except for CAL at 6 months, showed statistically insignificant increase approximating the baseline value. Intergroup comparison showed statistically significant differences in favour of group II at 3 and 6 months for PPD and CAL while for BOP at 6 months only. At six months, both groups had statistically significant improvements in the radiographic parameters, and intergroup comparison revealed statistically significant differences favouring group II. Conclusion Hyaluronic acid resulted in clinical improvement and radiographic evidence of bone regeneration in the treatment of intra-bony defects in chronic periodontitis patients.