Exploring Newer Alternatives to Soft-tissue Autografts for Managing Gingival Recession

Abstract

ABSTRACT Gingival recession is often associated with unesthetic appearance, inadequate width of attached gingiva, hypersensitivity, and difficulty in maintaining optimal oral hygiene. Thus, the ultimate aim of recession management is to attain complete root coverage that includes diverse surgical techniques with adjunctive scaffolds and graft materials. Soft-tissue autografts are of great importance in clinical practice for managing these mucogingival deformities and providing better esthetics and function around teeth and implants. Subepithelial connective tissue graft is the “gold standard” for recession coverage. However, obtaining these autografts can sometimes be difficult due to various disadvantages such as decreased patient compliance, a limited amount of donor tissue, inadequate donor tissue in case of shallow or thin palatal tissues, and the need for multiple surgical procedures to harvest adequate donor graft tissue. To overcome these disadvantages, various alternatives have been introduced. This review aims to provide systematically compiled data on the available alternatives of soft-tissue autografts that can be used for managing gingival recession.