Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes for Intraoral (Palatal and Tuberosity) Soft Tissue Grafts in Root Coverage...

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Oral Surgery
• Regenerative Dentistry

Background:

• Root coverage surgeries aim to restore gum tissue around teeth.
• Soft tissue grafts are commonly used in mucogingival procedures.
• Palatal tissue is a traditional donor site, but alternatives are being explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically compare clinical and patient-reported outcomes of palatal versus tuberosity soft tissue grafts.
• To assess graft dimensions, tissue thickness, and postoperative discomfort.
• To evaluate the available evidence on tuberosity as a donor site for root coverage.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across major scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, OVID Medline, Scopus) until December 2023.
• Included studies were clinical trials and studies involving medically fit adults undergoing intraoral soft tissue grafting.
• Data extraction and risk of bias assessment (ROB 2, ROBINS-I) were conducted on 13 eligible studies.

Main Results:

• Tuberosity grafts generally exhibited greater thickness (2.9 ± 0.5 mm) compared to palatal grafts (2.3 ± 0.6 mm).
• Tuberosity grafts showed less volume change and one study reported decreased postoperative pain.
• Most studies had a low risk of bias, though some concerns were noted in randomized trials regarding blinding and allocation concealment.

Conclusions:

• The palate remains a reliable donor site for soft tissue grafts.
• Limited evidence suggests tuberosity grafts may offer advantages in thickness and patient comfort.
• Further standardized clinical trials with long-term follow-up are necessary to confirm the benefits of tuberosity grafts.