Root coverage with coronally advanced flap:6-year follow-up

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term stability of root coverage without a regular control programme after coronally advanced flap (CAF) procedures in isolated gingival recessions.

Recession defects were treated with CAF using microsurgery technique. Probing depth, clinical attachment level, keratinized gingival width, plaque index, papilla bleeding index, recession depth, recession width and root surface area was evaluated at baseline, and then postoperative 6-month and 6-year follow-up sessions. Percentages of root coverage and complete root coverage rates were also calculated.

In total, 12 defects in 12 patients of the 36 defects in 30 patients were available for analysis at the 6-year follow-up examination (66.7% of the initial sites could be reached). Percentage of mean root coverage was 95.06% at 6-month and 69.27% at 6-year and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Complete root coverage rate decreased from 75% (at 6-month) to 50% (at 6-year), but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Within the limits of this long-term follow-up study, there seems to be a rather high risk for relapse after root coverage with CAF possibly due to the lack of regular recalls and persistent traumatic tooth brushing habits.