Periodontal Root Coverage Procedures: A Comparison of Treatment Alternatives and the Gold Standard for Soft Tissue Grafting

Sunday Session, 2:30–5 p.m.
Program Track: Periodontal Plastic/Oral Reconstructive Surgery

Moderator: Jim Janakievski
Speakers: Lourdes Ann Christopher, Gregory A. Pette, and E. Todd Scheyer

The recent AAP workshop on periodontal regeneration highlighted advances in hard and soft tissue regeneration around teeth. When specifically evaluating root coverage procedures, systematic reviews have confirmed that autogenous connective tissue is still the gold standard and is supported by multiple randomized controlled clinical trials. However, patients and dental care professionals are seeking grafting techniques that can treat multiple areas of gingival recession, enhance the periodontal biotype, and avoid the harvesting of autogenous tissue. These alternative therapies have become increasingly popular and include the use of allografts, xenografts, biologics,
guided tissue regeneration, and modified surgical techniques designed for coronal advancement. These newer technologies and modifications are considered less invasive and bring the promise of successful outcomes. These techniques will be discussed and compared to autogenous grafting.

Educational Objectives:
• Assess the recent evidence based on RCTs and systematic reviews.
• Learn how autogenous tissue grafts allow for treatment of challenging gingival recession defects.
• Describe the limits of current allograft techniques and be familiar with the solutions to address those limitations.
• Discuss the indications and contraindications for alternative techniques of obtaining root coverage including xenografts and modified surgical techniques.