Clinical Effect of Free Gingival Grafts on the Increase in Keratinized Mucosa Width at the Buccal Aspect of Implants in Adjacent Mandibular Molars: A Retrospective Study.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effect of free gingival grafts (FGGs) at adjacent mandibular molar implants and to compare the clinical outcomes between the first molar (M1) and second molar (M2) sites. Twenty-one patients with 44 implants were included. At the 3-year follow-up, the mean increase in the keratinized mucosa width (KMW) was 2.35 ± 1.33 mm, and the mean KMW shrinkage rate was 58% ± 23%. M1 sites showed a significantly greater increase of KMW and less graft shrinkage than M2 sites (M1: 2.87 ± 1.40 mm and 49% ± 24%, M2: 1.83 ± 1.06 mm and 66% ± 19%, P < .05). The results show that using FGG to increase KMW in mandibular molar implants was a predictable treatment method, and M1 sites were associated with a greater KMW increase than M2 sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]