A retrospective cohort study comparing periodontal regeneration using fibroblast growth factor‐2 versus autologous bone graft

A survey of clinical practice and evaluation of treatment outcomes of periodontal regenerative therapy using REGROTH at Okayama University Hospital PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This retrospective study compared the clinical outcomes of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), a novel therapeutic agent, with autologous bone graft (ABG), a long-established treatment. A total of 180 sites from 141 patients (150 FGF-2 sites, 30 ABG sites) were evaluated based on the vertical bone defect improvement rate (VBDIR) and the probing pocket depth improvement (PPDI). Using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusted for patient background factors such as age, sex, smoking history, and hypertension, no significant differences in clinical outcomes were observed between the two treatment groups. Further multilevel linear analysis focusing on the FGF-2 group revealed that smoking history was positively associated, while preoperative bone defect angle (BDA) was negatively associated with clinical outcomes. These findings suggest that FGF-2 may offer clinical benefits comparable to ABG in treating vertical bone defects while having the added advantage of being less invasive. However, when using FGF-2, dentists should consider individual patient factors such as smoking habits and defect morphology, as these may influence treatment outcomes.