Clinical Evaluation of the Impact of Periodontal Phenotype on the Outcome of Laterally Positioned Flap in Isolated Gingival Recession

A variety of surgical techniques have been proposed to achieve successful and predictable root coverage. These include coronally advanced flap, lateral positioned flap (LPF) free gingival graft, free connective tissue graft, and guided tissue regeneration. LPF, originally described by Grupe and Warren in 1964 is one of the most commonly performed root coverage technique.The procedure has undergone various modification over the years .Staffileno and pfeifer and Heller advocated the use of split-thickness flap to minimize the potential risk for the development of recession in the donor tooth.Wood et al used re-entry procedures to compare crestal radicular bone responses to full and partial thickness flaps. They concluded that regardless of the flap procedure, loss of crestal bone depended on the periodontal phenotype.The term periodontal phenotype refers to phenotypic characteristic of bone and soft tissue that make up the periodontium. Periodontal phenotype is typically used to describe the buccolingual tissue thickness and gingival morphology. It is divided into thick flat and thin scalloped type. However there is a paucity of studies in the literature studying the effect periodontal phenotype on the root coverage obtained and its stability over time after LPF. Furthermore the impact of periodontal phenotype on the donor area in this procedure has not been explored. Therefore the present study is designed with the aim to evaluate the influence of periodontal phenotype on the outcome of root coverage by LPF.