ACELLULAR HUMAN AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE AS A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCAFFOLD FOR THE TREATMENT OF MUCOGINGIVAL DEFECTS

This study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of decellularized and lyophilized extracellular matrix, which was acquired from human amniotic membrane, for surgical closure of the mucogingival defects. Preliminarily, to create a gingival recession defect, silk ligature was applied on the gingival part of the upper incisor in the first (experimental) (n=20) and second (control) (n=20) groups. On the 14th day, the ligature was removed and the damaged gingival tissues were resected. The formed mucogingival defect, in the animals of the first group, was covered with acellular human amniotic three-dimensional scaffold with bone marrow stem cells. Animals with mucogingival defect of the second group were left untreated and served as controls. Unlike the animals from the control group, in animals from the experimental group the mucogingival defect already on the seventh day was completely closed and there was the newly formed epithelial lining, which in shape and color did not differ from the normal. Acellular human amniotic membrane as a three-dimensional scaffold boosts angiogenesis and increases the reparative regeneration of the damaged tissues; and it is well-tolerated by the gingival tissues. Hence, human amniotic membrane might be a suitable alternative to other conventional methods of treating gingival recession.