Enamel Matrix Derivative

EMD is studied for periodontal regeneration across nonsurgical periodontitis treatment, regenerative surgery for intrabony and furcation defects, and root-coverage procedures for gingival recessions. The clinical indications therefore include both nonsurgical and surgical periodontal settings.

When combined with nonsurgical periodontal therapy, EMD has been studied as an adjunct to scaling and root planing. Deep pockets and molar furcations can be difficult to access with nonsurgical treatment alone.

The main alternatives are scaling and root planing alone, or surgical periodontal treatment for deeper pockets. EMD has also been studied alongside regenerative surgery and root-coverage procedures.

EMD is intended to add a regenerative material to periodontal treatment. In reviews of nonsurgical therapy, it reduced chair time and 60% of studies reported considerable benefits compared with scaling and root planing alone. It has also been examined for infrabony defects, furcation defects, and gingival recessions, each with a different periodontal objective.

Post-surgical events recorded in EMD research included redness, swelling, itching, headache, root hypersensitivity, pain, gingival inflammation, ulcers, abscess, cratering, and lesions. The study records covered events in the first and second weeks after surgery, alongside the periodontal treatment outcome being measured.