The clinical efficacy of primary culture of human fibroblasts in gingival augmentation procedures-a preliminary report.

The treatment of mucogingival problems is one of the main objectives of periodontal treatment. The insufficient or absent gingival attachment increases the risk of development of gingival recessions. Multiple gingival augmentation techniques of varying level of success are known. The aim of this study has been to clinically and histologically evaluate the integration process of scaffolds composed of primary human fibroblasts derived from keratinized gingiva on collagenous carriers. Ten patients exhibiting a mucogingival problem and gingival inflammation of the related teeth were included in the study. In total, 34 teeth in the anterior part of the maxilla and the mandible underwent treatment. Clinically, over a 6 month period of observation, a significant decrease in the distance from cemento-enamel junction to mucogingival junction (CEJ-MGJ) was revealed. Histologically, mature connective tissue covered by keratinized epithelium was found after 12 weeks. No specimens revealed an inflammatory response. A complete clinical healing was observed after 2 weeks in eight patients [early healing index (EHI)=I]. The results of clinical evaluation indicate that the method of primary culture of human fibroblasts on a collagenous carrier for gingival augmentation is an esthetic and effective method of mucogingival complex repair. The scaffolds were substituted and completely re-epithelialized within 12 weeks according to histologic results.