Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation of the Entire Papilla Preservation (EPP) Technique Versus Modified Minimally Invasive Surgical Technique (M-MIST) in Treatment of Intraosseous Defects in Patients With Stage III Periodontitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Periodontitis is defined as loss of periodontal attachment due to microbial associated host mediated inflammation. This would lead to the apical migration of the junctional epithelium allowing the bacterial biofilm to undergo apical widespread along the root surfaces of teeth causing bone resorption (Tonetti, Greenwell, \& Kornman, 2018). The main objective of periodontal surgeries is directed at complete preservation of the interdental soft tissues to achieve primary closure over the intraosseous defected sites during the early phases of wound healing. Evidence shows that surgical techniques are highly predictable in the treatment of pockets associated with deep and shallow intrabony defects affected majorly by the selected flap design. The purpose of the flap design of minimally invasive periodontal surgery is to overcome the drawbacks of conventional periodontal surgeries decreasing the surgical trauma, improving the clot stability, reducing patient discomfort post operatively and minimizing the surgical chair time (Aslan, Buduneli, \& Cortellini, 2017b) Modified Minimally Invasive Surgical Technique (M-MIST) is considered one of the latest minimally invasive techniques that have been used in the treatment of intraosseous defects, this technique however entails an incision over the defect-associated interdental papilla that may jeopardize the volume and complex vascular integrity of the interdental tissues, lacking the special flap design that would emphasis clot stability for better wound healing. Where a new surgical technique turned entire papilla preservation has been developed for protection of the wound without affecting the vascularity of the area. (Pierpaolo Cortellini \& Tonetti, 2015) This randomized clinical trial compared the clinical and radiographic efficacy of entire papilla preservation surgical technique (EPP) to Modified minimally invasive surgical technique (M-MIST) in the treatment of periodontal intraosseous defects in stage III periodontiti