Creeping attachment after free gingival grafts.

Free gingival grafts were placed in the lower anterior vestibular region of 30 patients each of whom had a gingival recession. According to the width of the recession and to the surgical procedure, the patients were divided into four groups. Group 1 showed a "narrow" (less than 3 mm) type of recession, while Group 2 had a "wide" type. In both of these groups the graft was placed over the denuded root. In Group 3 (narrow recession) and Group 4 (wide), a collar of vestibular gingiva was left in place on the lower margin of the denuded root at the moment of grafting. Measurements and photographs taken before and 1 month after surgery, 6 months and 2 years postoperatively, showed varying degrees of root covering by the phenomenon of creeping attachment. An optimal recovery of the gingival profile was obtained in the three patients of Group 1. In the other categories of patients the creeping of the attachment apparatus was relatively small (between 0 and 33%) within the 2 years of observation. The factors which seem to have a definite influence upon the phenomenon of creeping attachment are the following: width of the recession, position of the graft, bone resorption, position of the tooth and hygiene of the patient.