Clinical and histolohical evaluation of the effect of storage time on healing and success of gingival connective tissue graft stored in normal saline. NOT PRESENTED

Background and objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of
time on the healing and success of gingival connective tissue graft which was stored
in normal saline inside refrigerator at 4°C different duration.
Methods and Materials: Seven volunteer patients with gingival recession, after
completion of preliminary phase of periodontal treatment were selected. After
preparing the connective tissue from donor palate, a piece of it was separated and
selected for histologic evaluation as control group. The remaining were stored in
normal saline for 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 and 168 hours. When the desired time
passed, another piece of each tissue graft was separated for histologic evaluation.
Alteration in number and morphology of fibroblasts and presence of tissue
inflammation was evaluated. Changing in probing depth (in mesial, distal and
midbuccal),width of attached gingival and presence of inflammation ,3 months
following graft surgery was investigated.
Results: Reduction in midbuccal probing depth after 24,48,72,96,120,144 and 168
hours was 3,1,2,1,1,4,1mm respectively, mesial probing depth reduction was
2,2,3,2,1,5,2mm and distal probing depth reduction was3,1,1,2,2,4,1mm.Increasing
the width of attached gingiva in midbuccal, mesial and distal area after the desired
time was >2,2,>3,3,2,>3,2mm ,>4,3,>3,2,1,>3,2mm and
>2,2,>2,2,>2,2,2mm,respectively.There was no change in fibroblast number in
samples but morphology of them had been changed in all of them. Histologic
evaluation did not show any inflammation in tissues and 3 months after surgery the
treated area did not have any inflammation.
Conclusion: Healing of grafted tissue in all the cases was acceptable and adequate
width of attached gingival was created. 3months after surgery there was no
inflammation in grafts.
Key Words: Histology, clinic, healing, gingival connective tissue, graft