Coronally Advanced Flap in the Treatment of Multiple Adjacent Gingival Recessions along with a Connective Tissue Graft Harvested from Augmented or Nonaugmented Palatal Mucous Membrane: A Two-Year Comparative Clinical Evaluation

Abstract

Achieving the coverage of multiple adjacent gingival recessions (MAGRs) in a single surgical procedure poses a major clinical challenge. The gold standard procedure involves the collection of autogenous connective tissue from the palatal mucosa. In case of reduced palatal tissue thickness, augmentation using a collagen sponge can be performed. The aim of this study was to compare the treatment outcome of MAGR coverage by a coronally advanced flap (CAF) along with a connective tissue graft (CTG) harvested from augmented or nonaugmented palatal mucous membrane. Thirty-five patients with 148 MAGRs were enrolled in the study. The recessions were covered with CTGs collected from 26 augmented- (test group) and from 24 nonaugmented (control group) palatal donor sites followed by a CAF. Clinical parameters were measured at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months after intervention. Clinical results for both, the test and the control group were steady and similar with the exception of buccal gingival thickness (BGT1). After 24 months, statistically greater BGT1 and complete root coverage (CRC) was observed in the test group. The augmented CTG+CAF method achieves good and predictable clinical results in the coverage of MAGRs. It leads to the increase of gingival thickness in comparison to the nonaugmented intervention.