Clinical evaluation of an acellular dermal allograft for increasing the zone of attached gingiva

Grafting with autogenous tissue or freeze-dried skin is the generally accepted method for increasing and/or restoring the width of attached gingiva. This article describes the periodontal use of an acellular dermal allograft previously available for treating burn patients. When used as a gingival graft, this new dermal allograft has major potential advantages over the previously available periodontal graft materials, including improved color and contour match, elimination of multiple surgeries, and unlimited availability. The technique and results of acellular dermal grafting are presented and discussed. The learning objective of this article is to describe the principles and the clinical procedure of this technique. Several cases are used to illustrate this technique.