Augmenting peri-implant keratinized mucosa remains a key challenge in reconstructed maxillae. A recent prospective, non-randomized cohort study evaluated whether combining a xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM) with free gingival grafts (FGG) offers added benefit over FGG alone in 25 patients (76 implants). At one year, buccal keratinized mucosa width (KMW) increased from 0.0 mm to 4.0 mm in the FGG group and from 0.02 mm to 2.51 mm in the FGG/XCM group. However, the adjusted mean difference in buccal KMW gain (0.84 mm) was not significant between the groups.
Importantly, 97% of implants in the FGG group and 93% in the FGG/XCM group achieved palatal KMW ≥2 mm. Buccal KMW gain was positively associated with vestibular depth. Histological findings demonstrated that FGG sites displayed orthokeratinized epithelium, while XCM-treated areas showed features of parakeratinized epithelium,…
