Gingival tissue response to rotary curettage

A clinical study to compare gingival response to two methods of tissue retraction was completed on 10 patients who required maxillary anterior fixed prostheses. A modified Boley gauge periodontal probe was used to make the biometric measurements. The gingival crest and clinical sulcus measurements were made on designated facial and palatal tissue reference points prior to the procedure and 14 and 90 days after the procedure. Within the limits of this study, the following conclusions were made: Rotary curettage compared favorably with the lateral displacement method of tissue retraction in the amount of gingival crest recession. Rotary curettage caused an apparent disruption of the apical sulcular and attachment epithelium, with an apical repositioning of the tissues after repair and stabilization. The lack of tactile sensation of the high-speed rotating instrument contributed to this problem. The recorded sulcus depth changes were not regarded as clinically significant. Changes in gingival crest and clinical sulcus measurements were not found on the palatal tissues with either method of tissue management. Thicker palatal tissues responded more favorably to rotary curettage than thinner facial tissues. Rotary curettage was an efficient and predictable technique in management of the gingival sulcus for impression-making procedures for fixed prostheses. Long-term clinical observations with a histologic assessment of the healing response to the rotary curettage procedure would be beneficial in further determination of the efficacy of the technique.