Retreatment of Gingival Recessions: Rationale and Definition Case Series Follow-Up

Aims: One of the main objectives of root coverage procedures is complete coverage of the denuded root surface. If this goal is not obtained, retreatment may be considered. Materials and Methods: This retrospective case series study evaluated the need for surgical retreatment among 105 gingival recessions, in 56 patients. Pre- and postretreatment recession depth (RD), keratinized tissue (KT) width, and attachment loss (AL) were extracted from follow-up registries. Results: A total of 17 recessions (11 Miller Class I-II/RT1 and 6 Miller Class III/RT2) in 13 patients (nine and four, respectively) were retreated surgically. The mean follow-up was 2.2 years (range 1-9). RD and the clinical attachment level gain (CAL gain) improved significantly after retreatment (p=0.0017). The linear regression model revealed a significantly higher KT gain (KTG) and reduction in residual RD (RRD), in patients with initial Miller III/RT2 recessions, when followed up for more than 1 year (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The present results indicate that a root recession retreatment procedure is a viable option with high predictability and long-term stability.