Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of a modified gingival graft technique, in which the released flap is positioned and sutured over the graft, with the conventional free gingival graft (FGG) procedure, when both are used for gingival augmentation. A 12-month, multicenter parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted. Subjects with buccal RT2 gingival recessions and keratinized tissue width (KTW) < 2 mm in at least one mandibular incisor were randomized to control group (n = 20; conventional FGG) or test group (n = 20; modified FGG; flap sutured over FGG using sling sutures). The primary outcome (KTW) was measured at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months, as was keratinized tissue thickness (KTT). Postoperative pain (POP) and analgesic intake were also recorded. Both techniques promoted a significant increase in KTW and KTT when compared to baseline (p < 0.05) with no significant differences between groups (KTW change of 6.1±1.5 mm and 5.4±1.6 mm, for control and test, respectively; p=0.16). However, test group patients reported less POP after 7 days and used less analgesic medication than control group patients (p < 0.05). We concluded that the modified FGG was comparable to conventional FGG in augmenting keratinized tissue width and thickness at mandibular incisors, but resulted in less patient morbidity.

The aim of the present study was to radiographically evaluate the effect of smoking on bone loss resulting from chronic periodontitis. Periapical radiographs were analyzed of 80 patients with chronic periodontitis (40 current or former smokers and 40 never-smokers) that attended a private periodontal practice. The smokers or former-smokers with a minimum consumption of 10 cigarettes/day for a period of over 10 years were selected. Interproximal radiographic bone loss was considered as the distance between the cementum-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest. Bone loss for smokers was higher than that observed in never-smokers (p < 0.05) (3.33 ± 1.09 mm and 2.24 ± 0.76 mm; mean ± standard deviation for smokers and non-smokers, respectively). When each region of the mouth was comparatively evaluated, it was observed that the smokers' incisors presented the highest bone loss when compared with the other groups of teeth (p < 0.01). Within the limits of the present investigation it can be concluded that smoking enhances the bone loss resulting from periodontitis and that the incisors are the teeth most affected.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influência dos fatores de risco na prevalência de bolsas periodontais em pacientes atendidos na clínica do terceiro e quarto anos da Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba - Unicamp. Foram avaliados 100 pacientes através do levantamento dos dados contidos nas fichas clínico-anamnésicas, sendo consideradas bolsas de profundidade: 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm e 10 mm, de acordo com o sistema diagnóstico WS (SALLUM; SALLUM27, 1996). Os resultados foram comparados entre as profundidades de sondagem e as variáveis idade, sexo, bem como sua distribuição por sextantes. Observou-se maior prevalência de bolsas periodontais no sexo masculino, bem como maior profundidade de sondagem em pacientes acima de 31 anos. A distribuição de bolsas periodontais entre os sextantes foi homogênea.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of risk factors on the prevalence of periodontal pockets in patients attending the clinic of the School of Dentistry of Piracicaba - Unicamp. The sample consisted of 100 patients attended by the students from the third and fourth years of undergraduation. The data were taken from anamneses and clinical - periodontal records. Probing depths were considered to be 3, 5, 7 and 10 mm, according to the WS diagnosis system (SALLUM, 1996). The results were compared regarding pockets depths and the risk factors age and gender. Also, the distribution of pockets among the sextants was observed. This study indicated a major prevalence of periodontal pockets in men and an increase in probing depth in patients older than 31 years. The distribution of pockets among the sextants was relatively uniform in all studied groups.