Furcation Plasty
A surgical procedure that reshapes the furcation area of a multi-rooted tooth to improve access for plaque control and maintenance.
Full Definition
Furcation plasty is a surgical intervention performed on multi-rooted teeth in which the furcation entrance is odontoplastically reshaped to facilitate self-performed and professional plaque removal. It is typically indicated for Class II furcation involvements where regenerative therapy is not suitable. The procedure may involve enameloplasty of the root trunk or odontoplasty of the furcation dome. Editors should distinguish this from tunnel preparation, which is a more radical furcation management approach. The term is sometimes hyphenated inconsistently and should be rendered as two words without a hyphen.
Usage
Usage note: Not to be confused with tunnel preparation; furcation plasty conserves the tooth while reshaping access, whereas tunnel preparation opens the furcation entirely.
In Context
- "The surgeon documented furcation plasty on the mandibular first molar to eliminate the Class II involvement prior to definitive restoration." — Surgical operative report
- "Furcation plasty was selected over regenerative therapy given the shallow horizontal component of the defect." — Treatment planning note