Clinical and somatosensory evaluation of areas receiving subepithelial connective tissue grafts.

• Grant number: 23/11965-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Periodontology
• Principal Investigator: Mariana Schutzer Ragghianti Zangrando
• Grantee: Heloisa Queiroz Chaves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft (SCTG) associated with Coronally Advanced Flap (CAF) is the gold standard procedure for root coverage of areas with gingival recessions (GRs). Patients with GRs may experience aesthetic concerns as well as increased sensitivity due to root exposure and/or thin gingival phenotype. Treatment involving thecombination of SCTG and CAF offers evident clinical benefits, such as reduction of GR, tissue gain in gingival height and thickness, and improvement in quality of life. This improvement is primarily manifested as aesthetic enhancement and reduction in dentin hypersensitivity. However, there is limited evidence regarding potential changes that may occur after surgical procedures in the somatosensory profile of graft recipient areas. Therefore, this project is based on clinical and somatosensory assessments of SCTG recipient sites. The assessed clinical parameters will include: Gingival recession depth, width and thickness of keratinized tissue, Clinical probing depth, Clinical attachment level, Plaque index, and Bleeding index. The somatosensory profile will be quantitatively evaluated through Mechanical Detection Threshold (MDT) and Mechanical Pain Threshold (MPT) tests. The evaluations will be conducted prior to the surgical procedure and after 2 and 6 months. Correlation analysis will also be performed between the rate of root coverage and reduction of dentin hypersensitivity, root coverage rate and flap thickness, flap thickness and keratinized mucosa width. The results will be statistically analyzed with a significance level of 5%. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test if the data follows a normal distribution, or Wilcoxon test if it follows a non-normal distribution, will be used. Correlation analyses will be conducted using Pearson's correlation coefficient.