Free gingival graft for increasing the width of attached gingiva– a pilot study

Introduction: The free gingival grafts have been used in periodontics to primarily augment the width of attached gingiva and to a lesser extent cover denuded root surfaces. An adequate width of attached gingiva is essential to maintain oral hygiene, to keep gingiva healthy and free of inflammation. Aim: In this pilot study, 8 cases with 15 sites treated using the free gingival graft technique to increase the width of attached gingiva are evaluated clinically and statistically. Materials and Methods: Graft material was obtained from the palatal donor site. Amount of recession, probing depth, clinical attachment level and width of attached gingiva were measured at baseline, one month and 3 months post operatively. Results: Consistent gain in the width of the attached gingiva was seen in all the cases treated. Though root coverage was not the primary objective a few cases reported root coverage also. Conclusion: The results of the pilot study indicate that free gingival grafting is an excellent technique to increase the width of the attached gingiva and to maintain stable periodontal health. Further long term studies with more subjects and proper standardization techniques are needed to confirm this.