[Methods for mucogingival surgery and its results in gingival recession]

Muco-periosteal pedicle flaps, free mucosal transplants as well as a combination of these two methods may be used for treating gingival recessions. The method selected and the therapeutical success depend on whether or not the interdental gingiva is also affected. From this viewpoint, three different types of recessions can be distinguished. Type I recessions with intact interdental gingiva on both sides can successfully be treated by all methods. In type II recessions with partial loss of the interdental gingiva on one side, free transplants as well as their combination with sliding flaps show the best results. Recessions at two adjacent teeth with loss of the interdental gingiva (type III) can only be treated with free mucosal transplants. Prognosis of successful treatment diminished from type I to type III.