The effect of smoking on clinical and biochemical early healing outcomes of coronally advanced flap with connective tissue graft: Prospective cohort study

Background: This study aimed to determine the effects of smoking on early (=3 months) clinical outcomes and relevant molecular biomarkers following root coverage surgery.Methods: Eighteen smokers and 18 nonsmokers, status biochemically verified, with RT1 gingival recession defects were recruited and completed study procedures. All patients received coronally advanced flap plus connective tissue graft. Baseline and 3 month recession depth (RD), recession width (RW), keratinized tissue width (KTW), clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival phenotype (GP) were recorded. Root coverage (RC) percentage and complete root coverage (CRC) were calculated. Recipient (gingival crevicular fluid) and donor (wound fluid) site VEGF-A, HIF-1a, 8-OHdG, and ANG levels were determined.Results: There were no significant intergroup differences for any baseline or postoperative clinical parameters (P > 0.05), except for whole mouth gingival index (increased in nonsmokers at 3 months; P < 0.05). Compared to baseline, RD, RW, CAL, KTW, and GP significantly improved postoperatively, without significant intergroup differences. There were no significant intergroup differences for RC (smokers = 83%, nonsmokers = 91%, P = 0.069), CRC (smokers = 50%, nonsmokers = 72%, P = 0.177), and CAL gain (P = 0.193). The four biomarker levels significantly increased postoperatively (day 7; P = 0.042) in both groups and returned to baseline (day 28) without significant intergroup differences (P > 0.05). Similarly, donor site parameters were not different between groups. Strong correlations, consistent over time, were found between biomarkers implicated in angiogenesis (VEGF-A, HIF-1a, and ANG).Conclusions: The early (3 month) clinical and molecular changes after root coverage surgery utilizing a coronally advanced flap plus connective tissue graft are similar between smokers and nonsmokers.

Automated summary

This study aimed to determine the effects of smoking on early clinical outcomes and molecular biomarkers following root coverage surgery. The results showed no significant differences between smokers and nonsmokers in clinical parameters and molecular markers before and after surgery. Based on the findings, the effectiveness of root coverage surgery is similar in smokers and nonsmokers.