Tunnel vs. CAF for the Treatment of Multiple Gingival Recessions

NCT05122468 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: C.I. 16/504
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Many studies have compared the tunnel technique and coronally advanced flap in the treatment of single and multiple recessions. However, there is a lack of evidence that compared both techniques in combination with a connective tissue graft, for just multiple adjacent recessions. No technique is clearly superior to another in terms of complete root coverage (CRC), mean root coverage (MRC) and the gain of keratinized tissue height (KTH) when multiple recession coverage was evaluated. Moreover, as a connective tissue graft supposed to offer more stability in terms of complete root coverage in long-term basis, the main question should be aimed at the role of the sub-epithelial connective tissue graft, when it is used in combination with one technique or another. Hence, the hypothesis is focused on if the use of a connective tissue graft in combination with a tunnel technique would provide higher clinical outcomes and similar patient-based outcomes than its use in combination with the Coronally Advanced flap technique.

Conditions

Gingival Recession

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Complete root coverage

  The complete root coverage is defined as the percentage of cases that 100% of the recessions will be covered in their whole extension.

  6 months

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Mean Root Coverage

  6 months

• Recession Reduction (RR)

  6 months

• Probing pocket depth (PPD)

  6 months

• Clinical attachment Gain

  6 months

• Width of Keratinized Tissue (KTW)

  6 months

Other Outcomes (2)

• Patient Concerns with Recession

  6 months

• Time to recovery

  14 days

Study Arms (2)

CAF group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Coronally advanced flap in combination with a connective tissue graft. According to the technique(Zucchelli \& De Sanctis 2000), this procedure consists of a rotated papilla, envelope flap. Intrasulcular incisions will be performed involving all the experimental units and at least one tooth mesial and distal to the experimental teeth. From the centre of rotation the incisions will be traced in a corono-apical direction toward the mesial and toward the distal extension of the flap. After the accurate initial incisions, the flap will be raised full thickness apical to the mucogingival junction (MGJ), exposing 1 to 2 mm of bone at the base of the recession/dehiscence defects. A linear mesio-distal incision will then be performed to cut the periosteum, releasing any muscular tension and allow a passive coronal positioning of the flap to cover the CEJ.

Procedure: Connective tissue Harvest and CAF

Tunnel group

EXPERIMENTAL

Tunnel technique in combination with a connective tissue graft. When tunnelling procedures are applied, this technique consists of a supra-periosteal bed under a pedicle flap without any external incisions (Zabalegui et al. 1999). Afterwards, a connective tissue graft is placed and secured through the tunnel, covering the adjacent exposed roots. To create a tunnel at the buccal aspect of the gingiva, sulcular partial-thickness incisions are made by means of a micro-blade through each recession area, extending the split-thickness beyond the mucogingival junction (MGJ). The partial dissection plane is then extended laterally through the papillae between the treated teeth without separating them. This incision must also be extended 3 to 5 mm mesial and distal from the lateral teeth to allow space for the connective tissue graft.

Procedure: Connective tissue Harvest and Tunnel

Interventions

Connective tissue Harvest and CAF PROCEDURE

A connective tissue graft will be harvested from the palate as a free gingival graft, which will be de-epithelialized with a 15-c blade(Zucchelli et al. 2010) before opening of the opaque envelopes, which contains the allocation concealment. The dimensions of the graft achieve 3 to 5 mm mesial and distal from the lateral teeth with an ideal thickness about 1 to 1.5 mm. Donor tissue will be taken at premolar and molar level. In control sites, the graft will be adapted to cover each exposed root to the CEJ, and stabilized with either 6-0 resorbable sutures (with the knot placed under the papillary area) or a non-resorbable suture with the knot on the palatal side. For suturing of the graft, interrupted sutures or sling sutures (anchored to periosteum apical to the graft and hanging around the neck of the experimental teeth) may be used.

CAF group

Connective tissue Harvest and Tunnel PROCEDURE

A connective tissue graft will be harvested from the palate as a free gingival graft, which will be de-epithelialized with a 15-c blade(Zucchelli et al. 2010) before opening of the opaque envelopes, which contains the allocation concealment. The dimensions of the graft achieve 3 to 5 mm mesial and distal from the lateral teeth with an ideal thickness about 1 to 1.5 mm. Donor tissue will be taken at premolar and molar level. In test sites, the graft should be slid through the tunnel. To accomplish the adequate position of the graft into the tunnel, 2 sutures are first placed, 1 at the most mesial and the other at the most distal aspect of the tunnel. The needles should pass underneath the tunnel and exit through the largest or most central gingival recession, the one through which the grafting tissue will be introduced. With these 2 sutures already inside the tunnel, the graft is bitten on both ends with vertical mattress sutures.

Tunnel group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Subjects with a minimum of two adjacent teeth and a maximum of four adjacent teeth with gingival recessions (at least one with a depth ≥ 3 mm) and requiring surgical intervention, without medical contraindications to elective surgery.

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of untreated periodontitis
• Persistence of uncorrected gingival trauma from tooth brushing
• Interdental attachment loss greater than 1 mm or furcation involvement in the teeth to be treated
• Presence of severe tooth malposition, rotation or clinically significant super-eruption
• Self-reported current smoking
• Presence of medical contraindications to elective surgery

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Complutense de Madrid: lead

Study Sites (1)

Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Madrid, 28040, Spain

Location

Related Publications (12)

• Cairo F, Rotundo R, Miller PD, Pini Prato GP. Root coverage esthetic score: a system to evaluate the esthetic outcome of the treatment of gingival recession through evaluation of clinical cases. J Periodontol. 2009 Apr;80(4):705-10. doi: 10.1902/jop.2009.080565.

  PMID: 19335093 BACKGROUND

• Dastoor SF, Travan S, Neiva RF, Rayburn LA, Giannobile WV, Wang HL. Effect of adjunctive systemic azithromycin with periodontal surgery in the treatment of chronic periodontitis in smokers: a pilot study. J Periodontol. 2007 Oct;78(10):1887-96. doi: 10.1902/jop.2007.070072.

  PMID: 17915999 BACKGROUND

• Gobbato L, Nart J, Bressan E, Mazzocco F, Paniz G, Lops D. Patient morbidity and root coverage outcomes after the application of a subepithelial connective tissue graft in combination with a coronally advanced flap or via a tunneling technique: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2016 Nov;20(8):2191-2202. doi: 10.1007/s00784-016-1721-7. Epub 2016 Jan 27.

  PMID: 26814715 BACKGROUND

• Cairo F, Nieri M, Pagliaro U. Efficacy of periodontal plastic surgery procedures in the treatment of localized facial gingival recessions. A systematic review. J Clin Periodontol. 2014 Apr;41 Suppl 15:S44-62. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12182.

  PMID: 24641000 BACKGROUND

• Rebele SF, Zuhr O, Schneider D, Jung RE, Hurzeler MB. Tunnel technique with connective tissue graft versus coronally advanced flap with enamel matrix derivative for root coverage: a RCT using 3D digital measuring methods. Part II. Volumetric studies on healing dynamics and gingival dimensions. J Clin Periodontol. 2014 Jun;41(6):593-603. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12254.

  PMID: 24708338 BACKGROUND

• Zabalegui I, Sicilia A, Cambra J, Gil J, Sanz M. Treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions with the tunnel subepithelial connective tissue graft: a clinical report. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 1999 Apr;19(2):199-206.

  PMID: 10635186 BACKGROUND

• Zucchelli G, De Sanctis M. Long-term outcome following treatment of multiple Miller class I and II recession defects in esthetic areas of the mouth. J Periodontol. 2005 Dec;76(12):2286-92. doi: 10.1902/jop.2005.76.12.2286.

  PMID: 16332241 BACKGROUND

• Zucchelli G, De Sanctis M. Treatment of multiple recession-type defects in patients with esthetic demands. J Periodontol. 2000 Sep;71(9):1506-14. doi: 10.1902/jop.2000.71.9.1506.

  PMID: 11022782 BACKGROUND

• Zucchelli G, Mounssif I, Mazzotti C, Stefanini M, Marzadori M, Petracci E, Montebugnoli L. Coronally advanced flap with and without connective tissue graft for the treatment of multiple gingival recessions: a comparative short- and long-term controlled randomized clinical trial. J Clin Periodontol. 2014 Apr;41(4):396-403. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12224. Epub 2014 Jan 22.

  PMID: 24382170 BACKGROUND

• Zucchelli G, Mele M, Stefanini M, Mazzotti C, Marzadori M, Montebugnoli L, de Sanctis M. Patient morbidity and root coverage outcome after subepithelial connective tissue and de-epithelialized grafts: a comparative randomized-controlled clinical trial. J Clin Periodontol. 2010 Aug 1;37(8):728-38. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2010.01550.x. Epub 2010 Jun 24.

  PMID: 20590963 BACKGROUND

• Zuhr O, Rebele SF, Schneider D, Jung RE, Hurzeler MB. Tunnel technique with connective tissue graft versus coronally advanced flap with enamel matrix derivative for root coverage: a RCT using 3D digital measuring methods. Part I. Clinical and patient-centred outcomes. J Clin Periodontol. 2014 Jun;41(6):582-92. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12178. Epub 2013 Nov 10.

  PMID: 24117676 BACKGROUND

• Gonzalez-Febles J, Romandini M, Laciar-Oudshoorn F, Noguerol F, Marruganti C, Bujaldon-Daza A, Zabalegui I, Sanz M. Tunnel vs. coronally advanced flap in combination with a connective tissue graft for the treatment of multiple gingival recessions: a multi-center randomized clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2023 Jul;27(7):3627-3638. doi: 10.1007/s00784-023-04975-7. Epub 2023 Mar 29.

  PMID: 36988824 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Gingival Recession

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Gingival Diseases; Periodontal Diseases; Mouth Diseases; Stomatognathic Diseases; Periodontal Atrophy

Study Officials

• Mariano Sanz, PhD

  Universidad Complutense de Madrid

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: A connective tissue graft will be harvested from the palate as a free gingival graft, which will be de-epithelialized with a 15-c blade(Zucchelli et al. 2010) before opening of the opaque envelopes, which contains the allocation concealment. Afterwards, test or control procedure will be carried out.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal investigator

Model Details: The two intervention groups will be the CAF group (standard of care control) and Tunnel group (TUN, Test group). Two experienced clinicians (ML, or JG) will deliver treatment consisting of root coverage surgery using a coronally advanced flap in combination with a connective tissue graft (Control group), or a tunnel technique (Test group) in combination with a connective tissue graft. Follow-up of individual patients will be 6 months (to be extended to 3 years to observe differences in a long-term basis)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 3, 2021
• First Posted: November 16, 2021
• Study Start: December 2, 2016
• Primary Completion: May 25, 2022
• Study Completion: May 25, 2022
• Last Updated: November 4, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ES (1)