title: Impact of a collagen matrix on early healing, aesthetics and patient morbidity in oral mucosal wounds - a randomized study in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test whether a collagen matrix (CM) can improve early wound healing and aesthetics, and decrease wound sensitivity compared with spontaneous healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 15 volunteers, 6-mm punch biopsies were harvested at both palatal sites. A CM was sutured in one site; the other one was left untreated (control). Measurements included the remaining defect area, the colour match to surrounding tissue and somatosensory parameters at various time-points (pre-operative, post-operative, 4, 8, 15, 29 days).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The defect area decreased over time for both treatments. Re-epithelization was completed in all subjects by day 15. The defect area was significantly smaller for CM (mean ± SD: 19.3 ± 3.4 mm(2)) compared with control (21.3 ± 3.3 mm(2)) at day 4 (p < 0.05), and at day 8 (CM: 11.7 ± 2.5 mm(2) ; control: 13.6 ± 2.9 mm(2) ; p < 0.01). The colour match was more favourable for CM at day 4, 8 and 29 (p > 0.05). Somatosensory measurements revealed slightly lower wound sensitivity at day 4 for CM compared with control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of CM can enhance wound healing compared with spontaneous healing during the first week. This was mainly documented by a faster re-epithelization. Colour match and wound sensitivity measurements did not reach statistical significance between CM and control sites.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics and Dental Material Science, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. daniel.thoma@zzm.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Thoma
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sancho-Puchades
authors.forename: Dominik A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ettlin
authors.forename: Christoph H F
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hämmerle
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003094:Collagen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010159:Palate / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013552:Swine; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003094:Collagen