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Review
. 2018 Jul 23;6(3):34.
doi: 10.3390/dj6030034.

Furcation Involvement Classification: A Comprehensive Review and a New System Proposal

Andrea Pilloni  1 , Mariana A Rojas  2
Affiliations
Review

Furcation Involvement Classification: A Comprehensive Review and a New System Proposal

Andrea Pilloni et al. Dent J (Basel). .

Abstract

Various classification systems have been proposed to describe furcation lesions and Glickman's classification for many years seems to have been the most widely utilized in the sole clinical diagnosis with no reference to the prognostic value of the lesion itself. This article reviews the previous classification systems and proposes a new method to classify furcation lesions based on the position of the gingival margin and its relationship with the furcation area (clinically exposed/non-exposed furcation area) providing significant aid for a better understanding of furcation involvements and increases the prognostic value of treatments in the long term.

Keywords: classification; furcation lesions; gingival recession; prognosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation. Non-exposed furcation lesion (NE): (a) Class I: Incipient lesion. Horizontal attachment loss of 2 mm or less; (b) Class II: Horizontal attachment loss of 3 mm or more; (c) Class III: Total horizontal attachment loss (through and through).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Non-exposed furcation lesion—Class I (NEI): (a) First maxillary molar; (b) Buccal furcation lesion. Horizontal attachment loss of 2 mm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Non-exposed furcation lesion—Class I (NEI): (a) First mandibular molar; (b)Buccal furcation lesion. Horizontal attachment loss of 2 mm (frontal view); (c) Buccal furcation lesion. Horizontal attachment loss of 2 mm (lateral view).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Non-exposed furcation lesion—Class II (NEII): (a) Second mandibular molar; (b) Buccal furcation lesion. Horizontal attachment loss of 4 mm.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Non-exposed furcation lesion—Class III (NEIII): First mandibular molar. Total horizontal attachment loss (through and through).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Schematic representation. Exposed furcation lesion (E): (a) Class I: Incipient lesion. Horizontal attachment loss of 2 mm or less; (b) Class II: Horizontal attachment loss of 3 mm or more; (c) Class III: Total horizontal attachment loss (through and through).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Exposed furcation lesion—Class I (EI): (a) First mandibular molar; (b) Buccal furcation lesion with horizontal attachment loss of 1 mm.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Exposed furcation lesion—Class II (EII): First maxillary molar. Buccal furcation lesion with horizontal attachment loss of 4 mm.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Exposed furcation lesion—Class III (EIII): First mandibular molar. Total horizontal attachment loss (through and through).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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