Patient morbidity and root coverage outcome after subepithelial connective tissue and de-epithelialized grafts: a comparative randomized-controlled clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this randomized-controlled clinical trial was to compare the patient morbidity and root coverage outcomes of a coronally advanced flap (CAF) with connective tissue (CTG) or de-epithelialized gingival (DGG) grafts.


METHODS
Fifty patients with one recession each were treated. In the control group, the CTG was harvested using the trap-door approach while in the test group the CTG resulted from the de-epithelialization of a free gingival graft.


RESULTS
No statistically significant differences were demonstrated between groups in patients's pain killer consumption, post-operative discomfort and bleeding. Lower stress and better ability to chew were demonstrated in the CTG group. Analgesic consumption increased with increasing height of the graft and in the case of dehiscence/necrosis of the primary flap. Pain was negatively correlated with the residual thickness of soft tissue covering the palatal bone. A statistically greater increase in buccal soft tissue thickness was observed in the DGG group.


CONCLUSIONS
No differences were demonstrated in the post-operative pain and root coverage outcome in patients subjected to CAF with CTG or DGG.
Zucchelli
Giovanni
G
Department of Odontostomatology, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy. giovanni.zucchelli@unibo.it
Mele
Monica
M
Stefanini
Martina
M
Mazzotti
Claudio
C
Marzadori
Matteo
M
Montebugnoli
Lucio
L
de Sanctis
Massimo
M
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000637:transplantation*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000637:transplantation*; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000601:surgery*; D005893:Gingivoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000601:surgery; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult