Clinical management and histopathological analysis of composite type of gingival Stillman’s cleft

Gingival Stillman’s cleft is one of the least-studied mucogingival defects that may jeopardize the periodontal health and esthetic of the affected teeth. The etiology behind this lesion is believed to be multifactorial, and the histopathology remains unclear. In this report, we present a case of composite gingival Stillman’s cleft in anterior maxillary teeth that was clinically treated with a laterally moved coronally advanced flap. The cleft tissue was removed during root coverage surgery and then was harvested for histopathological analysis using hematoxylin and eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and van Gieson’s stain. In the cleft site, microscopic examination revealed variable degrees of epithelial bifurcations with elongated forking of rete ridges into the stroma. Endothelial-lined blood vessels and inflammatory cells, primarily lymphocytes and fibroblasts, were seen in the stroma. The Masson trichrome (blue) and Van Gieson (pink) revealed colored gingival tissue with prominent collagen fiber distribution at the cleft site, which is suggestive of gingival fibrous hyperplasia brought on by repeated damage from tooth brushing.