Jp. Ouhayoun et al., CHEMICALLY SEPARATED CONNECTIVE-TISSUE GRAFTS - CLINICAL-APPLICATION AND HISTOLOGICAL-EVALUATION, Journal of periodontology, 64(8), 1993, pp. 734-738
SUBEPITHELIAL PALATAL CONNECTIVE TISSUE GRAFTs, separated from the epi
thelium either chemically (n = 5) or surgically (n = 2) were inserted
in patients presenting with gingival recession. Biopsies at the grafte
d tissue and a portion of non-keratinized mucosa were taken 12 months
later. Histology showed keratinization of the newly formed epithelium,
and interestingly a deep projection of epithelium into the connective
tissue in almost all biopsies, sometimes with an enlargement and a cy
st-like space. We conclude that chemical separation of epithelium and
connective tissue is clinically feasible for connective tissue grafts
and that the subepithelial connective tissue grafting technique should
be modified to avoid this projection of epithelium.