CDEN0110

I 17 special _ root recession I cosmeticdentistry 1_2010 thesia of the areas involved, a full thickness muco- periosteal flap was completed. This exposed the extent of the recession defects (Fig. 7). Tooth #11 was treated, as was the other side of the mouth, by utilising the GTR technique using an acellular connective tissue membrane to preserve the space for regeneration. Tooth #12 was treated the same way,exceptthatnomembranebarrier,resorbableor non-resorbable, was used (Figs. 8 & 9). Thus, there was no use of a GTR technique on tooth #12. Both teeth had the flap manipulated with the coronally repositioned graft, covering the recessed root and suturing to the CEJ level. Both sides were covered withperiodontaldressing.Antibiotics(tetracycline) and an analgesic (Tylenol-Codeine) were prescribed for the first week after the operation. One week after the surgical phase, the dressing and sutures were removed and the mouth lavaged. Oral hygiene was restored to good, maintainable habits following the healing phase of over two months. Upon observation, tooth #11, for which the GTR membrane had been employed, had re- attached healthy gingiva that was not probable. The recessed root and the stained cervical groove were covered. In contrast, tooth #12, for which no GTR membrane had been utilised, displayed recession as prior to the surgery (Fig. 10). Insummary,thissplit-mouthtechniquedemon- strated that using an acellular resorbable barrier membrane is more predictable for achieving root recession coverage than coverage of a recessed root without such a membrane._ Editorial note: A complete list of references is available fromthepublisher. Fig. 6_Pre-op labial view of anterior teeth. Fig. 7_Cervical groove on tooth #11 is solid, hard and non-carious. Fig. 8_GTR membrane placed over the root surface of tooth #11 only; no membrane was placed on the surface of the recession of tooth #12. Fig. 9_Gingival tissue coronally repositioned to cover the GTR membrane on tooth #11 and tooth #12. Fig. 10_Post-op view. Dr David L.Hoexter 654 MadisonAvenue NewYork,NY,USA Tel.:+1 212 355 0004 E-mail:drdavidlh@aol.com cosmeticdentistry _contact Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 10 BEFORE AFTER