Gingival Thickness Improvement After Atelocollagen Injection-Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Gingival thickness is crucial for periodontal health and aesthetics.
• Thin gingival phenotype poses challenges in dental treatments.
• Injectable atelocollagen offers a potential solution for gingival augmentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term efficacy of injectable atelocollagen in increasing gingival thickness.
• To compare the outcomes of atelocollagen treatment with and without maintenance therapy.
• To assess the stability of gingival thickness changes over a five-year period.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 60 patients with thin gingival phenotype.
• Standardized atelocollagen injections for soft tissue modification.
• Division into two groups: with (Group A) and without (Group B) maintenance therapy.
• Five-year observation period with gingival thickness assessment using periodontal probes.
• Statistical analysis using linear and generalized linear mixed-effects models.

Main Results:

• Significant Group and Time interaction effects on gingival thickness were observed.
• Group A demonstrated sustained gingival thickness improvement over five years.
• Group B showed a gradual decrease in gingival thickness effectiveness post-treatment.
• Atelocollagen injections led to a significant increase in the proportion of sites with thick gingiva.

Conclusions:

• Injectable atelocollagen is a reliable and effective method for long-term gingival thickness modification.
• Maintenance therapy is essential for sustaining the benefits of atelocollagen treatment.
• Atelocollagen offers a user-friendly approach to enhance gingival biotype.