A laser Doppler study of gingival blood flow change following periosteal stimulation

Lee, Ji Young; Kim, Byung Ock

Abstract

The roots of teeth exposed by gingival recession, may be successfully covered by various type of gingival grafting procedures. Vascularization of the recipient site is an essential determinant of the grafts'survival during the first healing stages. It has been suggested that a procedure by which they stimulate the periosteum presurgically will induce the proliferation of neo-endothelium in the site to be operated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the variations in the gingival blood flow during 4weeks after periosteal stimulation in patient scheduled to receive gingival grafts and to compare variations in the gingival blood flow between smoker and non-smoker. Laser Doppler Flowmetry(floLAB(R), Moor Instruments Ltd, England ; wave length = 780mm. Max. power =1.6mW) was used to measure the gingival blood flow. 112 sites of 68 male patients (32 smokers and 36 nonsmoker), aged between 23 and 48 years (smoker : 24-44 years, mean=32.6, non-smoker : 23-48 years, mean=28.5) were monitored for the blood flow. Gingival blood flow measured at before periosteal stimulation, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-weeks after periosteal stimulation from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The difference of blood flow in each measuring time, each measuring site and between smokers and nonsmokers were statistically analyzed by MANOVA. The results were as follows : (1) Blood flow stayed increased for 2 weeks, and then, it was a tendency to decrease(p<0.05). (2) There was no statistically significant difference of blood flow change between smokers and non-smokers. (3) The blood flow at middle site had lower than mesial and distal site during the measuring periods(p<0.05). The present study suggested that blood flow change following peirosteal stimulation was significant difference, thus periosteal stimulation before gingival graft might induce favorable results in gingival recession patient.