FREE GINGIVAL GRAFT FOLLOWING BIOPSY - A CASE-REPORT OF TISSUE MANAGEMENT

EXCISIONAL BIOPSIES REQUIRE WIDE MARGINS to facilitate removal of dise ased tissue. Such margins often result in soft-tissue defects. These d efects can cause reduced esthetics, ineffective oral hygiene performan ce, and postsurgical root sensitivity. This case documents the combina tion of two dental procedures: biopsy and the free gingival graft. A p yogenic granuloma, as diagnosed by histologic report, was removed by e xcisional biopsy and the resultant defect repaired by using a free gin gival graft. Palatal tissue was grafted immediately to the site of the biopsy and sutured in place to cover the loss of attached tissue and papilla. At 6 months, the graft appeared to restore gingival health an d maintain both esthetics and function in the surgical biopsy site. Th e patient was well served by correcting the resultant biopsy defect in a one-step procedure which encouraged healing and an excellent esthet ic result.