title: Treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions with the tunnel subepithelial connective tissue graft: a clinical report.
abstract: This article describes a surgical periodontal plastic procedure for the coverage of multiple adjacent gingival recessions. This surgical technique is based on the construction of a tunnel under the gingival tissue by means of a sulcular incision beyond the mucogingival line without raising the papillae. A large connective tissue graft obtained from the palatal mucosa is introduced through this tunnel, covering the adjacent gingival recessions. A suturing technique to allow this graft to slip through the tunnel under the gingival tissues and to secure and stabilize the graft covering the recessions is described. Twelve-month postoperative results are presented from 21 teeth that were treated with this technique: 100% root coverage was achieved in 66.7% of the recessions treated, with a mean root surface coverage of 91.6%. This study suggests that the use of this surgical procedure allows the treatment of multiple adjacent recessions in a single procedure with adequate early healing and highly predictable root coverage results.
authors.affiliation: University of Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zabalegui
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sicilia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cambra
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanz
mesh_terms: D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000637:transplantation; D005881:Gingiva / Q000637:transplantation*; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000601:surgery*; D005893:Gingivoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014945:Wound Healing