Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this non-randomized experimental study is to evaluate and correlate the gingival crevicular fluid osteocalcin levels with clinical and radiographic parameters in patients with intrabony defects treated with autologous platelet-rich fibrin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty intrabony defects in 14 patients were treated with autologous platelet-rich fibrin with open flap debridement. Clinical and radiographic parameters were recorded at baseline and 9 months postsurgery. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected prior to the surgery, 3 months, 6 months and 9 months postsurgery and was analysed for levels of osteocalcin using ELISA. RESULTS: All the clinical and radiographic parameters like plaque index (2.41 to 1.38) and gingival index (2.37 to 1.4) scores, probing pocket dept (6.43 to 3.78 mm), clinical attachment level (7.25 to 4.61 mm), relative attachment level (10.35 to 7.42 mm) and vertical depth (7.46 to 4.9), alveolar crest height (6.2 to 5.9), area of the defect (17.8 to 14.5) respectively showed improvement which was statistically significant (P < 0.001) except for the defect width (8.86 to 8.77) with P = 0.39. A moderate negative correlation was established between the GCF osteoclcin levels and the clinical and radiographic parameters at baseline and 9 months except for the % of defect fill which showed moderate positive correlation at 9 months (r = 0.55, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The gingival crevicular fluid osteocalcin can serve as a potential bone turnover biomarker in periodontal regeneration. In addition platelet-rich fibrin has made it possible to define natural bone regeneration as well as improve the clinical and radiological parameters.