Prospective study assessing three-dimensional changes of mucosal healing following soft tissue augmentation using free gingival grafts

Background The present study aimed to assess the three-dimensional changes following soft tissue augmentation using free gingival grafts (FGG) at implant sites over a 3-month follow-up period. Methods This study included 12 patients exhibiting deficient keratinized tissue (KT) width (i.e., <2 mm) at the vestibular aspect of 19 implants who underwent soft tissue augmentation using FGG at second stage surgery following implant placement. Twelve implants were considered for the statistical analysis (n = 12). The region of interest (ROI) was intraorally scanned before surgery (S0), immediately post-surgery (S1), 30 (S2) and 90 (S3) days after augmentation. Digital scanned files were used for quantification of FGG surface area (SA) and converted to standard tessellation language (STL) format for superimposition and evaluation of thickness changes between the corresponding time points. FGG shrinkage (%) in terms of SA and thickness was calculated between the assessed time points. Results Mean FGG SA amounted to 91 (95% CI: 63 to 119), 76.2 (95% CI: 45 to 106), and 61.3 (95% CI: 41 to 81) mm(2)at S1, S2, and S3, respectively. Mean FGG SA shrinkage rate was 16.3% (95% CI: 3 to 29) from S1 to S2 and 33% (95% CI: 19 to 46) from S1 to S3. Mean thickness gain from baseline (S0) to S1, S2, and S3 was 1.31 (95% CI: 1.2 to 1.4), 0.82 (95% CI: 0.5 to 1.12), and 0.37 (0.21 to 0.5) mm, respectively. FGG thickness shrinkage was of 38% (95% CI: 17.6 to 58) from S1 to S2 and 71.8% (95% CI: 60 to 84) from S1 to S3. Dimensional changes from S1 to S3 were statistically significant,P <0.017. Soft tissue healing was uneventful in all patients. Conclusions The present three-dimensional assessment suggests that FGG undergo significant dimensional changes in SA and thickness over a 3-month healing period.

Automated summary

The study aimed to evaluate the three-dimensional changes in soft tissue augmentation using free gingival grafts at implant sites over a 3-month follow-up period. Results indicated significant changes in surface area and thickness of the graft over time, with thickness shrinking post-surgery. The study highlights the importance of assessing dimensional changes in soft tissue augmentation procedures for successful outcomes.