Long term efficacy of root coverage techniques

Abstract

Gingival recession is a dramatic soft tissue finding in teeth affected by periodontal disease and remains one of the most common aesthetic concerns associated with periodontal tissue. The etiology of the condition is multifactorial but is commonly associated with alveolar morphology, tooth brushing, mechanical trauma and periodontal disease. With greater understanding of the dynamics of healing along with an awareness of aesthetics various periodontal procedures have been introduced to deal with problems of gingival recession. The long-term stability of the outcomes obtained with the surgical treatment of single and multiple gingival recessions has been evaluated in a few studies. Of the vast repertoire of mucogingival procedures for gingival recession management, long term studies of more than 5 years is present only for coronally advanced flap with or without connective tissue grafts. There are many other novel techniques in literature with little or no evidence to prove its long term efficacy. Various studies published during the last 30 years were identified through a search of the PubMed/Medline, Science Direct and Cochrane Library databases. “Follow up”, “root coverage”, root coverage procedures, root coverage techniques were the key words used for the search. In this review we have grouped the efficacy of various root coverage techniques based on their short and long term follow up. The review emphasises the value of meticulous follow up in order to validate efficacy of root coverage techniques. It also discusses the factors responsible for stability of results.