Recession in sites with inadequate width of the keratinized gingiva. An experimental study in the dog.

The present investigation was performed to assess the inflammatory response in gingival units subsequent to the placement of restorations with subgingivally located margins. 3 beagle dogs were used. Cotton floss ligatures were placed around the neck of the mandibular third and fourth premolars of all dogs. The ligatures were exchanged once a month during the first 6 months of experiment. When 40-50% of the height of the supporting tissues had been lost in an experimental periodontitis the ligatures were removed but the animals allowed to accumulate deposits for another 60 days. The inflamed periodontal tissues were subsequently excised using either an "apically placed flap" procedure or a "gingivectomy" procedure. In the flap procedure the main part of the keratinized gingiva was preserved while in the gingivectomy procedure the keratinized part of the gingiva was removed in toto. Following scaling and root planing the animals were during a maintenance period of 4 months placed on a program involving chlorhexidine application and mechanical tooth cleaning twice daily. On Day 0 a notch was prepared in the buccal surface of each root at the level of the gingival margin. Furthermore, steel bands were placed along the buccal surface of each root of the third and fourth premolars and secured with an apical margin at the level of 1 mm apical to the notch. The bands were cemented to the root surfaces by a cement. The dogs were allowed to accumulate plaque and calculus for 6 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)