Influence of free gingival grafts on the health of the marginal gingiva.

In order to evaluate the effect of increasing the width of inadequate attached gingiva on the health of the marginal gingiva, 12 free gingival grafts were performed on 12 patients with less than 1.0 mm of attached gingiva on homologous contralateral pairs of mandibular teeth. A baseline examination, which included measurements of plaque, gingival exudate, sulcus bleeding, sulcus probing depth and width of attached gingiva, was done before surgery. One week after surgery, plaque was eliminated mechanically on the test and control sides. All measurements were repeated 7 and 14 weeks after surgery. During the week following the first postsurgical examination, individual oral hygiene instruction was given until the patient could show plaque-free test and control sites. The width of the attached gingiva increased significantly on the side where the grafting was performed (test side). The only other significant changes observed during the experiment were a decrease of the mid-buccal plaque index on the test side during the first 7 weeks following surgery and a decrease of the buccoproximal plaque index on the test and control sides during the total experimental period (14 weeks). None of the other clinical parameters measured showed significant differences when test and control sites were compared or when the same sites were compared longitudinally.