Minimally invasive gingival phenotype modification in gingival recession associated with a non-carious cervical lesion using the root plastique technique (RPT): A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest study

Background: This study introduced the root plastique technique (RPT), the aim of which is to modify the gingival phenotype of sites with gingival recessions (GRs) associated with non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) prior to surgical treatment. Methods: RPT was performed in 22 subjects with 53 RT1 A/B + GRs. Changes in keratinized tissue thickness (KTT), keratinized tissue width (KTW), relative gingival recession (RGR), relative clinical attachment level (RCAL), and probing pocket depth (PPD) were measured at baseline (T0) and 2 months (T1) after the procedure was performed. All analyses were performed by means of hierarchical models. Results: The study revealed statistically significant changes (P < 0.01) in KTT (0.45 ± 0.04 mm), RGR (0.80 ± 0.13 mm), KTW (0.67 ± 0.07 mm), and RCAL (-0.72 ± 0.16 mm). No changes in PPD (P > 0.05) were observed. Regression analyses of KTT increase and RGR reduction at T0 showed statistically significant correlation between the two variables (P < 0.05). All the teeth with a KTT of <0.8 mm at T0 (N = 14) reached or surpassed this threshold at T1. Conclusion: RPT increases KTT and KTW. In most of the sites, a reduction in GR was also achieved.