Efficacy of maxillary tuberosity connective tissue grafts in periodontal and peri-implant soft tissue procedures: a systematic review
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Abstract
The objective of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy of maxillary tuberosity connective tissue grafts (MT-CTGs) in periodontal plastic surgeries at tooth and implant sites. An electronic search of literature in OVID, Embase, Cochrane and Scopus databases and a manual search up to August 2022 were performed to identify clinical studies at all levels of evidence with a minimum 3 month follow-up. Out of 880 potential publications, 10 studies were included, which included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies and case reports. Due to study heterogeneity, a meta-analysis was not performed. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the JBI Critical Appraisal checklist. MT- CTGs were more commonly utilized for peri-implant soft tissue augmentation, with keratinized mucosa thickness gain of 3-4 mm. Favourable gingival recession and mucosal dehiscence coverage outcomes, and satisfactory aesthetic ratings were reported though untoward hyperplastic tissue reactions at treated sites have also been documented. The limited evidence suggests MT-CTGs to be a sound soft tissue graft choice which may perform as well as lateral palate CTGs in periodontal soft tissue surgeries. Their true effect is yet to be determined with more well-designed long-term RCTs.