Two-Year Clinical Evaluation of Pedicled Buccal Fat Pad Alone and with Emdogain for Root Coverage of Severe Gingival Recession Defects: A Case Series

Gingival recession is defined as an apical displacement of the gingival margin beyond the cementoenamel junction leading to serious consequences, including exposure of the root surface, loss of periodontal attachment, root sensitivity to hot and cold air, and esthetic problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effect of pedicled buccal fat pad (PBFP) alone and with Emdogain in covering severe gingival recession defects and restoring tooth function. A total of 10 severe buccal recession defects in maxillary first molars were selected to be treated with PBFP, with Emdogain (group I; n = 5) or alone (group II; n = 5). Probing depth, clinical attachment level, depth of the gingival recession, width of the keratinized gingiva, and tooth mobility were recorded and statistically analyzed at baseline and during follow-up recalls until 2 years postoperatively. At 2 years, the percentage of root coverage was 60.18% and 59.07% for group I and group II, respectively, with significant differences compared to baseline and all follow-up times for each group but with statistically significant differences between groups (P > .05). Emdogain with PBFP did not show significant improvement compared to PBFP alone in terms of root coverage percentage. PBFP alone may be the better treatment for severe gingival recession defects.