PINHOLE SURGICAL TECHNIQUE VERSUS VESTIBULAR INCISION SUBPERIOSTEAL TUNNEL ACCESS TECHNIQUE IN CONJUNCTION WITH COLLAGEN MEMBRANE IN THE TREATMENT OF CAIRO TYPE 1 ISOLATED GINGIVAL RECESSION DEFECTS

Purpose: The objective of this research was to conduct a clinical comparison of the efficacy of the pinhole surgical technique (PST) versus the vestibular incision subperiosteal tunnel access (VISTA) technique. These procedures were assessed in the treatment of single, isolated gingival recession defects classified as Type 1 by Cairo et al., with both being performed in conjunction with a collagen membrane.

Methods: This study includes 20 patients. Cases were distributed into two main groups, group I was treated with vestibular incision subperiosteal tunnel access (VISTA) technique in conjunction with collagen membrane, while group II was treated by pinhole surgical technique in conjunction with collagen membrane. Clinical assessment was caried out at baseline including the following parameters: probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), keratinized tissue width (KTW), gingival thickness (GT), recession depth (RD). Re-evaluation of theses parameters was carried out after three and six months, while evaluation of pain score using visual analogue scale (VAS) was carried out after 24 hours, 72 hours, first and second week of surgery.

Results:Both groups demonstrated statistically signicant improvements from baseline in less recession depthand advance in clinical attachment levels. Nevertheless, no statistically significant change was found between VISTA and PST regarding PD, CAL, RD, KTW, GT, and VAS score.

Conclusions: VISTA and PST when combined with collagen membrane were both effective in treating Cairos type 1 single isolated gingival recession defects.