Clinical Efficacy of Gingival Thickening Following the Use of Allogeneic Acellular and Xenogeneic Collagen Matrix: A 12-Month Randomized Clinical Trial.

This randomized controlled clinical trial with a 1-year follow-up evaluated gingival thickness changes around teeth after use of dermal allograft and xenograft matrix. A total of 116 teeth (19 patients) were separated into two groups. One group received xenogeneic collagen matrix (n = 48), while the other received allogeneic acellular dermal matrix (n = 68) via a coronally advanced flap (CAF). Gingival thickness (GT), keratinized gingival width (KGW), pocket depth (PD), and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were measured on the day of surgery (baseline) and at 3 weeks, 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year postoperative. The two groups were compared using repeated-measures ANOVA (P < .05). The mean GT at 1 year was 1.59 +/- 0.31 mm in the xenogeneic group and 1.63 +/- 0.33 mm in the allogeneic group (P = .60). The mean change in GT was 1.08 mm in the xenogeneic group and 1.13 mm in the allogeneic group, which was clinically relevant and statistically significant compared to baseline values (P < .001). However, changes in GT were not significantly different between the two groups at any time point (P > .05). The GT increased in all cases treated with allogeneic and xenogeneic enriched collagen matrix. Both soft tissue substitutes were equally effective in acheiving optimal GT.