RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to compare the healing response of localized gingival recession defects treated with a coronally advanced flap (CAF) and either an amnion allograft membrane (AM) or a connective tissue graft (CTG). METHODS: Gingival recession defects were surgically created in six healthy mongrel dogs at the labial root surface of the maxillary canines, bilaterally. Using a split mouth design, the defects were treated with CAF and either AM (CAF/AM) or CTG (CAF/CTG). Three animals for each group were scarified at 1 and 3 months. Segments containing the defects were prepared for histological and histometric analysis. RESULTS: Both techniques showed similar clinical findings with adequate root coverage. Histologically, healing was characterized by the formation of new cementum and new connective tissue attachment in the CAF/AM group; in the CAF/CTG group, healing was characterized by junctional epithelium, coronally, and connective tissue fibers parallel to the root surface, apically. Histometrically, the CAF/AM group revealed a substantially shorter epithelial length and a longer, new cementum compared with those of the CAF/CTG group after a healing period of 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limits of this study, we concluded that the AM allograft could promote periodontal healing in gingival recession defects.
