Assessment of the soft tissue volumetric changes following acellular dermal matrix grafts with cone beam computerized tomography

Objective: The aim of this study was to use cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT), which consistently allowed the determination of the dimensions of the soft tissue, to evaluate acellular dermal matrix grafts (ADMG) used to increase gingival soft tissue thickness (GSTT). Method and Materials: In total, 90 gingival defects were included in the study. Surgical procedures were performed to augment the gingival tissue with ADMG. While GSTT measurements were assessed at baseline and 6, 12, and 18 months post-surgery, ADMG measurements were performed with CBCT at 6, 12, and 18 months post-surgery. Results: All parameters showed statistically significant differences between time intervals. In the ADMG-treated sites, the baseline GSTT was 1.00 ± 0.37 mm and the final thickness was 1.66 ± 0.34 mm. The 6-month measurement of ADMG was 0.79 ± 0.08 mm, and the final measurement was 0.11 ± 0.09 mm. Conclusion: High-quality images of the GSTT and ADMG can be consistently obtained with CBCT. The present findings indicate that soft tissue augmentation can be achieved in gingival defects with the use of ADMG. Keywords: acellular dermal matrix graft, cone beam computerized tomography, gingival augmentation, gingival recession, gingival soft tissue