EMD or subepithelial connective tissue graft for the treatment of single gingival recessions: a pilot study

The combination of EMD with root-coverage procedures has been shown to promote periodontal regeneration on the exposed root surface. The aim of this randomized clinical study was to compare the efficacy of EMD with connective tissue graft (CTG) for the treatment of Miller Class I and Class II single recessions in a split-mouth design.

The study included 12 systemically healthy patients, each with two single bilateral gingival recession defects (24 recessions). One recession defect in each patient was treated with the coronally advanced flap (CAF) + EMD procedure and the other recession defect was treated with the CTG + EMD procedure, in a split-mouth study design. The parameters recession depth (RD), recession width, percentage of root coverage, height of keratinized tissue (HKT), gingival thickness, probing depth and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded at baseline. All parameters, except for gingival thickness, were remeasured at 6 and 12 mo.

The mean percentage root coverage at the final evaluation was 92 ± 14% for the CAF + EMD group and 89 ± 14% for the CAF + CTG group. Both treatments resulted in statistically significant (p < 0.05) decreases in RD and recession width, and increases in HKT, at 6 and 12 mo. There was also a significant decrease in the probing depth and a significant gain in the CAL for both groups. The probing depth was statistically higher in the CAF + CTG group than in the CAF + EMD group at 6 mo (p < 0.05), while the CAL was statistically lower in the CAF + EMD group than in the CAF + CTG group at 6 and 12 mo (p < 0.05).

The present study demonstrated that both CAF + EMD and CAF + CTG procedures were similarly successful in treating Miller Class I and Class II single gingival recession defects.