Amount Of Keratinized Mucosa Research Articles

Dimensional changes in free gingival grafts at implant sites in the reconstructed mandible: a retrospective study.

To evaluate the dimensional changes in free gingival grafts (FGG) at implant sites in mandibular reconstruction patients. Patients who received FGG 4 months after implant placement in the reconstructed mandible with no keratinized mucosa (KM) present were invited for re-examination after 36.7 ± 16.8 months (3.06 ± 1.4 years). Immediately after graft extraction (T0), graft width (GW), graft length (GL), graft thickness (GT), graft dimension (GD), and vertical bone height were documented. Re-examination (T1) included clinical examinations (GW, GL, GD, peri-implant probing depths, and modified Sulcus Bleeding Index), radiographic examination (marginal bone level), and medical chart review. Twenty patients and 62 implants (47 in fibula flaps and 15 in iliac flaps) were included. A significant decrease in GW (51.8%), GL (19.2%), and GD (60.2%), were found between T0 and T1 (p < .001). The univariate analysis showed that GW change was not significantly associated with reconstruction technique, baseline GL, baseline GT, baseline GD, implant location, or type of prosthesis. Implant survival rate of 100% was observed at follow-up. Within the limitations of the study, free gingival grafts at implant sites in the reconstructed mandible undergo dimensional change that result in a reduction of approximately 60% of the original graft dimension. Graft width decreased over 50%. FGG is the standard of care intervention for increasing the amount of KM around implants. This study was the first to evaluate the dimensional change in FGG at implant sites in mandibular reconstruction patients after a medium-term follow-up. Clinical trial registration is not applicable as this study comprehends a retrospective analysis.

Keratinized mucosa width is associated with severity of peri-implant mucositis. A cross-sectional study.

This is a cross-sectional study designed with the aim to assess associations between the width of keratinized tissue and peri-implant mucositis. Two hundred and thirty one dental implants in 52 patients were evaluated. The width of keratinized mucosa (KM), plaque index (mPI), gingival index (mGI), bleeding on probing index (BoP), and the probing depth (PD) were measured clinically. Reduced KM was defined as a width of KM below 2mm and 1mm, respectively. In the primary analysis, data were analyzed on the implant level with the help of a generalized estimating equations (GEE) model. In sensitivity analyses, an adjusted linear mixed model was performed. Forty four implants in 12 patients had less than 2mm KM, and 187 implants in 40 patients had≥2mm KM. In the non-adjusted analysis on the implant level, reduced keratinized tissue width was significantly associated with peri-implant mucositis (OR 3.3, 95%-CI (1.3-8.0), p=0.009) and severity of disease (mean difference 2.5, 95%-CI (0.8-4.2) p=0.004). In sensitivity analyses, reduced keratinized tissue showed a significant association with severity of disease (OR 1.7, 95%-confidence interval=0.1-34, p=0.040). A reduced width of keratinized tissue around dental implants is a risk indicator for severity of peri-implant mucositis. The overall tendency of the results indicates that a sufficient amount of KM may contribute to reduce risk for and severity of peri-implant mucositis.

The Significance of Keratinized Mucosa on Implant Health: A Systematic Review

Whether a minimal width of keratinized mucosa (KM) is required to maintain peri-implant tissue health has been a topic of interest. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the effect of KM on various peri-implant health-related parameters. An electronic search of five databases (from 1965 to October 2012) and a hand search of peer-reviewed journals for relevant articles were performed. Human cross-sectional or longitudinal studies with data on the relationship between the amount of KM around dental implants and various peri-implant parameters, with a follow-up period of at least 6 months, were included. Eleven studies, seven cross-sectional and four longitudinal, were included. Weighted mean difference (WMD) and confidence interval (CI) were calculated with meta-analyses for each clinical parameter. The results showed statistically significant differences in plaque index (PI) and modified PI (WMD = -0.27, 95% CI = -0.43 to -0.11), modified gingival index (mGI) (WMD = -0.48, 95% CI = -0.70 to -0.27), mucosal recession (MR) (WMD = -0.60 mm, 95% CI = -0.85 to -0.36 mm), and attachment loss (AL) (WMD = -0.35 mm, 95% CI = -0.65 mm to -0.06 mm), all favoring implants with wide KM. However, comparisons of other parameters (bleeding on probing, modified bleeding index, GI, probing depth, and radiographic bone loss) did not reach statistically significant differences. The result of heterogeneity test showed only one parameter (AL, P value for the χ(2) test = 0.30 and I(2) test = 18%) had a low degree of heterogeneity among analyzed studies; meta-analyses of other parameters presented moderate-to-high degree of heterogeneity. Limitations of the present review include limited number of selected studies (n = 11), existence of heterogeneity and publication bias, and only English-written articles searched. Based on current available evidence, a lack of adequate KM around endosseous dental implants is associated with more plaque accumulation, tissue inflammation, MR, and AL.

Significance of Keratinized Mucosa in Maintenance of Dental Implants With Different Surfaces

The need for keratinized mucosa (KM) or immobile keratinized mucosa (i.e., attached mucosa [AM]) for the maintenance of osseointegrated endosseous dental implants has been controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of KM in the maintenance of root-form dental implants with different surfaces. A total of 339 endosseous dental implants in place for at least 3 years in 69 patients were evaluated. The width of KM and AM, modified plaque index (mPI), gingival index (GI), modified bleeding index (mBI), probing depth (PD), and average annual bone loss (ABL) were measured clinically and radiographically by a masked examiner. Based on the amounts of KM or AM, implants were categorized as follows: 1) KM <2 mm (KL); 2) KM > or =2 mm (KU); 3) AM <1 mm (AL); and 4) AM > or =1 mm (AU). Implants were further subdivided into the following four subgroups based on their surface configurations: 1) smooth surface implants (SI) with KM <2 mm (SKL); 2) SI with KM > or =2 mm (SKM); 3) rough surface implants (RI) with KM <2 mm (RKL); or 4) RI with KM > or =2 mm (RKM); or 1) SI with AM <1 mm (SAL); 2) SI with AM > or =1 mm (SAM); 3) RI with AM <1 mm (RAL); or 4) RI with AM > or =1 mm (RAM). The effect of KM or AM on clinical parameters was evaluated by comparing the different KM/AM groups. In addition, the significance of the presence of KM on implant prostheses types (i.e., fixed versus removable) and on implant locations (i.e., anterior versus posterior) was evaluated. Comparison of ABL among the four subgroups in KM or AM failed to reveal statistically significant differences (P >0.05); however, statistically significantly higher GI and mPI were present in SKL or SAL compared to the other three subgroups (P <0.05). GI and mPI were significantly higher in KL (0.94 and 1.51) than KU (0.76 and 1.26) and higher in AL (0.95 and 1.50) than AU (0.70 and 1.19) (P <0.05), respectively. The difference in GI between posterior implants with or without an adequate amount of KM was also significant (P <0.05). The absence of adequate KM or AM in endosseous dental implants, especially in posterior implants, was associated with higher plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation but not with more ABL, regardless of their surface configurations. Randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm the results obtained in this retrospective clinical study.