Gingival Augmentation in the Thin Phenotype Using Injectable Platelet-Rich Fibrin and Microneedling

Objective This study set out to examine the results of microneedling (MN) with and without injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) in treating individuals with thin periodontal phenotypes, specifically focusing on the effects on gingival thickness (GT) and keratinized tissue width (KTW). Materials and methods This was a split-mouth study involving 32 healthy patients with 64 sites having thin phenotypes classified into two groups. On the one side, i-PRF was injected (Group A), while on the other side (Group B), MN along with i-PRF was used at intervals of 10 days for a month. GT and KTW were measured at baseline, three months, and six months. The parameters were compared intra and intergroup-wise at baseline, three months, and six months using the IBM SPSS Statistics software version 24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and the chi-square test. Results The findings revealed that when comparing Group A, which received just i-PRF, to Group B, which had i-PRF in conjunction with MN, there was a statistically significant increase in GT in Group B. Conclusions This is a novel method in that it does not need surgical innervations to expand the gingiva in breadth or thickness. Although MN's neoangiogenesis impact contributed to thicker gingiva, i-PRF showed a greater capacity for the release of several growth factors.