New Surgical Approach for Mandibular Anterior Root Coverage by Modified Tunnel Technique With Simultaneous...

Root coverage of gingival recessions in the anterior mandible has limited predictability. Mandibular incisors often offers a thin phenotype, a lack of keratinized tissue and moreover a shallow vestibule with high labial frenum attachment. These conditions induce tensions on the surgical site in conventional coronally advanced flap (CAF) procedures and may compromise the complete root coverage. The purpose of this case report is to present a novel surgical technique for deep labial recessions on mandibular incisors, based on a modified tunnel technique with subepithelial connective tissue graft (CTG) in combination with simultaneous frenuloplasty.

A 20-year-old female patient was referred to the office for treatment of an isolated RT1 in Cairo classification buccal recession on #24 with a shallow vestibule. The design of the recipient site consisted of a full-thickness modified tunnel preparation extending 4 mm bilaterally to the recession and beyond the crestal bone. A CTG was harvested from the palate and properly adapted to the root surface. The graft and flap were secured with single-interrupted sutures and double-crossed sutures to achieve complete root coverage. Frenuloplasty was then performed with a single incision in the bottom of the vestibule and careful sectioning of frenum fibers to release vestibular tensions. Complete root coverage was maintained at 5 years with completely satisfactory esthetic outcomes.

Treatment of single deep mandibular anterior recessions with a combined tunneled CTG approach in addition to frenuloplasty appears to lead to complete long-term root coverage in one surgery with lasting esthetics results.