Epithelial and connective tissue healing following electrosurgical incisions in human gingiva

Electrosurgery is used for intraoral incisions by many clinicians. Much controversy surrounds the effect of lateral heat produced during the electrosurgical incision upon the healing of adjacent connective tissue. Ten electrosurgical incisions were made in the gingiva in each of five adult male volunteers. The duration of incision and actual energy production for each incision were calculated. Excisional biopsies of the incisions were obtained at 0-504 hours. At the light microscopic level, epithelium, totally degenerated immediately following the electrosurgery incision, showed extensive activity at 24-48 hours and had covered all wounds by 72 hours. Early hour specimens showed a homogenous connective tissue region, adjacent to the wound site, devoid of cells and fibers. This zone of denatured connective tissue gradually diminished until it was no longer present at 396 hours.