Comparison of Root Coverage Outcomes by NORD Flap Versus Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft in RT1 Gingival Recession

Management of GR in the initial stages (when there is no inter proximal attachment and bone loss involved) has better clinical outcomes and reduces the chances of further progression of recession. Surgical treatment of recession involves techniques like pedicle grafts and free soft tissue grafts and their modifications. Sub epithelial connective tissue graft is considered as the gold standard in root coverage techniques. However this procedure involves a second surgical site increasing surgical time, complexity and patient morbidity. So there is a need of a technique which overcomes these limitations, is easier to perform and helps to achieve comparable root coverage with stable results over a long term. Novel overlapping rotated double (NORD) flap is a novel technique which offers a solution to this problem. This may help to achieve greater thickness of gingiva in the region of GR after healing and may reduce the risk of future recession. This technique is being compared with the bilaminar technique utilizing the sub epithelial connective tissue graft at the control sites, both the test and control groups will be treated using a microsurgical approach. If there is no significant difference in the root coverage achieved between the two techniques, this may reduce the need of harvesting connective tissue graft from a second surgical site. This technique is also expected to have better patient reported outcomes and will benefit the patients and operator both. This technique may also help to modify the phenotype of the affected tooth, thus making the results more stable.