Several experimental studies showed that the application of small amounts of electric current to bone stimulated osteogenesis at the site of the cathode and suggests that the application of electrical currents to periodontal defects could promote bone and cementum formation.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of direct microcurrent to the periodontal regeneration of class III furcation defects in dogs.

Class III furcation defects were surgically created on the third and the fourth premolars bilaterally in the mandibles of nine mongrel dogs. Experimental periodontitis were induced by placing small cotton pellets into the created defects for 3 weeks. The experimental sites were divided into three groups according to the treatment modalities: Group I- surgical debridement only; Group II- allogenic demineralized freeze dried bone grafting; Group III- allogenic demineralized freeze dried bone grafting and electrical stimulation.

For fluorescence microscopic evaluation, calcein, oxytetracycline HCl and alizarin red were injected 2, 4 and 8 weeks(3 days prior to sacrifice) after surgery. The animals were sacrificed in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th week after periodontal surgery and the decalcified and undecalcified specimens were prepared for histological and histometrical examination.

After the first and the second weeks, gingival recession was more severe in group I than groups II and III. After the fourth and the eighth weeks, there was no difference in the width of junctional epithelium and connective tissue attachment among the three groups, but the width of connective tissue attachment increased in group II at the eighth week, compared to the fourth week. The amount of bone repair in new attachment was significantly greater in group III, compared to groups I and II. New attachment formation was significantly greater in group III, compared to groups I and group II.

These results suggest that electrical stimulation using microcurrent generator could be a useful tool for periodontal regenerative therapy in class III furcation defect.