%0 Journal Article
%T Augmentation of keratinized tissue using autogenous soft-tissue grafts and collagen-based soft-tissue substitutes at teeth and dental implants: Histological findings in a pilot pre-clinical study.
%A Lim HC
%A Strauss FJ
%A Shin SI
%A Jung RE
%A Jung UW
%A Thoma DS
%J J Clin Periodontol
%V 51
%N 5
%D 2024 May 24
%M 38268024
%F 7.478
%R 10.1111/jcpe.13949
%X OBJECTIVE: To histomorphometrically assess three treatment modalities for gaining keratinized tissue (KT) at teeth and at dental implants.
METHODS: In five dogs, the distal roots of the mandibular second, third and fourth premolars were extracted. Dental implants were placed at the distal root areas 2 months later. After another 2 months, KT augmentation was performed at both distal (implants) and at mesial root (teeth) areas in the presence (wKT groups) or absence (w/oKT groups) of a KT band at the mucosal/gingival level. Three treatment modalities were applied randomly: apically positioned flap only (APF), free gingival grafts (FGGs) and xenogeneic collagen matrices (XCMs). A combination of the above produced six groups. Two months later, tissue sections were harvested and analysed histomorphometrically.
RESULTS: The median KT height and length were greatest at implants with FGG in both wKT (3.7 and 5.1 mm, respectively) and w/oKT groups (3.7 and 4.6 mm), and at teeth with FGG in wKT groups (3.7 and 6.1 mm) and with APF in the w/oKT groups (3.9 and 4.4 mm). The XCM and APF produced more favourable results at teeth than at implants.
CONCLUSIONS: FGG was advantageous in gaining KT, especially at implants.