GINGIVA THICKNESS IN GUIDED TISSUE REGENERATION AND ASSOCIATED RECESSION AT FACIAL FURCATION DEFECTS

CONSISTENTLY SUCCESSFUL REGENERATIVE THERAPY FOR FURCATION DEFECTS usi ng membrane techniques remains a challenge for clinicians. The purpose of this study was to determine if the thickness of tissue used to cov er the membrane influences postsurgery recession, Thirty-seven (37) mo derate to advanced adult periodontitis patients presenting with at lea st one mandibular or maxillary molar class 1 or 2 facial furcation inv olvement participated in the study. Mid-facial presurgery recession wa s recorded from the cemento-enamel junction to the free gingival margi n at a reproducible point, Mid-facial tissue thickness was measured us ing calipers at a point 5 mm apical to the gingival margin of the muco gingival flap reflected at the time of guided tissue regeneration surg ery. Patients were divided into 2 groups based upon tissue thickness m easurement. Patients were then re-evaluated for recession at 6 months postsurgery, Sixteen (16) patients with tissue thickness less than or equal to 1 mm demonstrated a mean 2.1 mm increase in recession, while 21 patients with tissue thickness > 1 mm exhibited a mean 0.6 mm incre ase in recession. We conclude that there is less post-treatment recess ion (P < 0.01) for tissue thickness > 1 mm than tissue thickness less than or equal to 1 mm. Hence, thickness of gingival tissue covering a membrane appears to be a factor to consider if post-treatment recessio n is to be minimized or avoided.