A Comparative Evaluation of Silk Suture and Cyanoacrylate Adhesive in the Stabilization of Free Gingival Graft Harvested with Erbium: Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet Laser: A Clinical Study

BACKGROUND: The most common technique for gingival augmentation is free gingival graft (FGG). The aim of this study is to clinically compare the efficacy of FGG harvested with erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er: YAG) laser stabilized with 5-0 silk suture in comparison to N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive in increasing the width of keratinized gingiva (WK) for the management of Miller's Class I and II gingival recession. METHODOLOGY: Forty-eight gingival recession defects were divided into two Groups I and II. Group I sites were treated with FGG harvested using Er: YAG laser stabilized with 5-0 silk suture and Group II sites were treated with FGG harvested using Er: YAG laser stabilized with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive. Clinical parameters such as gingival recession depth, clinical attachment level (CAL), gain in gingival tissue thickness, and WK were recorded at baseline and 3 and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: A significant reduction in gingival recession defects, gain in CAL, increase in WK, and gain in gingival tissue thickness were observed in both the groups. Intergroup comparison of gingival recession defects, CAL, WK, and gingival tissue thickness yielded nonsignificant differences. CONCLUSION: Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded that both 5-0 silk suture and n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate were equally efficacious in the stabilization of FGG. N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate was easy to apply, consumed less operating time, and had no adverse effect. Hence, cyanoacrylate can be used as an alternative to suture in stabilization of FGG.