Coronally positioned flap procedure in the treatment of human gingival recession

Abstract：AIM:To compare the clinical outcome following treatment of local gingival recessions by coronal ly positioned flap with a bioabsorbable membrane or by a coronally positioned flap procedure alone. METHODS: Twenty patients with buccal bilateral Miller Class Ⅰ or Class Ⅱ gingival recession defects were treated randomly by coro nally positioned flap with a bioabsorbable membrane or a coronally positioned flap alone (20 sites). The treatment sites were selected randomly. Twenty sites in the membrane group and 20 sites in the non - membrane group were examinat ed at baseline, and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Clinical variables included the apical extent of the gingival re cession ( RD), the width of the gingival recession ( RW) at the cemento - enamel junction ( CEJ), the probing depth ( PD ) and the clinical attachment level ( CAL). RESULTS: Both treatments resulted in a significant gain of root cov erage(p <0. 001), an average of 2.6mm in the non - membrane group and 2. Lmm in the membrane group at the 6 month. The rate of root coverage was 72.2% and 55.3% respectively. Six months after treatment, a statistical differ ence could be found when the results of RD, RW and CAL were compared with those before operations in the two groups ( P < 0.05). In the results of PD, statistical difference could be found in the membrane group but non in the non membrane group(P>0.05). Statistical difference could be found in the results of PD, CAL but non in the results of RD and RW between two groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with coronally positioned flap combined with a bioabsorbable membrane , coronally positioned flap procedure alone can get more root coverage in vertical and horizontal direc tions. The coronally positioned flap operation offers a predictable and simple approach as a root coverage procedure for 2.5 mm～5mm recession defects .