{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,22]],"date-time":"2025-12-22T22:04:43Z","timestamp":1766441083572,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,13]],"date-time":"2022-06-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1655078400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dentistry Journal"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Purpose: Within this context, this pilot study aimed to evaluate the healing dynamics process of the hard palate after free gingival graft harvesting in the short term (3 months), utilizing digital imaging technology and tridimensional analysis software. Furthermore, assessing the results found to verify the existence of a relationship between gender or age with tissue loss. Materials and Methods: For connective-tissue harvesting, fifteen patients with gingival recessions type (RT) 1 and RT2 were selected. On the surgery day (before the procedure) and after three months, palatal impressions were taken in all patients, and cast models were done for posterior model scanning. The following variables were analyzed: mean thickness alterations (x\u00af TA), maximum thickness loss (MTL), mean maximum thickness loss (x\u00af MTL), and volume alterations (VA). A descriptive and bivariate analysis of the data was done. The data were submitted for statistical evaluation and were significant if p &lt; 0.05. Results: Fifteen patients were analyzed, 11 females (73.3%) and four males (26.7%). The patients\u2019 average age was 28 \u00b1 8.52 years (ranging between 16 and 48 years old). The palatal wound region\u2019s mean thickness and volume changes were \u22120.26 mm (\u00b10.31) and 46.99 mm3 (\u00b147.47 mm3) at three months. There was no statistically significant result correlating age\/gender with any variable evaluated. Conclusions: Connective tissue graft harvesting promoted changes with a standard volume and thickness loss of palatal soft tissue. A 3D digital evaluation was a non-invasive method with a reproducible technique for measuring thickness or volume after connective tissue is collected. There was no relationship between age\/gender and any variables analyzed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/dj10060109","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,13]],"date-time":"2022-06-13T06:31:59Z","timestamp":1655101919000},"page":"109","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["A 3D Digital Analysis of the Hard Palate Wound Healing after Free Gingival Graft Harvest: A Pilot Study in the Short Term"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2474-4613","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tiago","family":"Marques","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"Ramos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Nuno Bernardo Malta dos","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Tiago","family":"Borges","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Javier","family":"Montero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0119-9790","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andr\u00e9","family":"Correia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3022-4390","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gustavo Vicentis de Oliveira","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Periodontics and Oral Medicine Department, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078, USA"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1111\/prd.12059","article-title":"Periodontal plastic surgery","volume":"68","author":"Zucchelli","year":"2000","journal-title":"Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1007\/s00276-008-0432-4","article-title":"Anatomical study of the greater palatine artery and related structures of the palatal vault: Considerations for palate as the subepithelial connective tissue graft donor site","volume":"31","author":"Klosek","year":"2009","journal-title":"Surg. Radiol. Anat."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S8","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.2015.130674","article-title":"Periodontal Soft Tissue Root Coverage Procedures: A Systematic Review from the AAP Regeneration Workshop","volume":"86","author":"Chambrone","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-051X.2008.01346.x","article-title":"Does placement of a connective tissue graft improve the outcomes of coronally advanced flap for coverage of single gingival recessions in upper anterior teeth? A multi-centre, randomized, double-blind, clinical trial","volume":"36","author":"Cortellini","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"121","article-title":"Free autogenous gingival grafts. I. Principles of successful grafting","volume":"6","author":"Sullivan","year":"1968","journal-title":"Periodontics"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1331","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.2015.150346","article-title":"Relative Composition of Fibrous Connective and Fatty\/Glandular Tissue in Connective Tissue Grafts Depends on the Harvesting Technique but not the Donor Site of the Hard Palate","volume":"86","author":"Bertl","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.1997.68.2.145","article-title":"The Thickness of Masticatory Mucosa in the Human Hard Palate and Tuberosity as Potential Donor Sites for Ridge Augmentation Procedures","volume":"68","author":"Studer","year":"1997","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.4103\/0972-124X.100913","article-title":"Assessment of thickness of palatal mucosal donor site and its association with age and gender","volume":"16","author":"Kuriakose","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Indian Soc. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1407","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.2001.72.10.1407","article-title":"Thickness of Palatal Masticatory Mucosa Associated With Age","volume":"72","author":"Pitiphat","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"243","article-title":"Thickness of masticatory mucosa in the human hard palate and tuberosity dependent on gender and body mass index","volume":"29","author":"Stipetic","year":"2005","journal-title":"Coll. Antropol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"431","DOI":"10.1034\/j.1600-051x.2000.027006431.x","article-title":"Thickness of masticatory mucosa","volume":"27","author":"Schaller","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.3109\/10520295.2014.893586","article-title":"Evaluation of palatal mucosal thickness and its association with age and gender","volume":"89","author":"Gupta","year":"2014","journal-title":"Biotech. Histochem."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2070","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.2006.050296","article-title":"Postoperative complications following gingival augmentation procedures","volume":"77","author":"Griffin","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S123","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpe.12185","article-title":"The addition of soft tissue replacement grafts in plastic periodontal and implant surgery: Critical elements in design and execution","volume":"41","author":"Zuhr","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"578","DOI":"10.1002\/ca.22252","article-title":"Topography of the greater palatine artery and the palatal vault for various types of periodontal plastic surgery","volume":"27","author":"Kim","year":"2014","journal-title":"Clin. Anat."},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"e149","article-title":"Direct thickness measurements of the hard palate mucosa","volume":"41","author":"Schacher","year":"2010","journal-title":"Quintessence Int."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"406","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.2008.070302","article-title":"Thickness of Posterior Palatal Masticatory Mucosa: The Use of Computerized Tomography","volume":"79","author":"Song","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"564","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-051X.2009.01422.x","article-title":"A new method to assess and measure palatal masticatory mucosa by cone-beam computerized tomography","volume":"36","author":"Barriviera","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1680","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.2009.090187","article-title":"Treatment of Multiple Areas of Gingival Recession Using a Simple Harvesting Technique for Autogenous Connective Tissue Graft","volume":"80","author":"McLeod","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"728","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-051X.2010.01550.x","article-title":"Patient morbidity and root coverage outcome after subepithelial connective tissue and de-epithelialized grafts: A comparative randomized- controlled clinical trial","volume":"37","author":"Zucchelli","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"848","DOI":"10.1034\/j.1600-051X.2002.290910.x","article-title":"The connective tissue graft: A comparative clinical evaluation of wound healing at the palatal donor site\u2014A preliminary study","volume":"29","author":"Modica","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"976","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpe.12592","article-title":"Quantitative changes in palatal donor site thickness after free gingival graft harvesting: A pilot study","volume":"43","author":"Keskiner","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Von den Hoff, J.W., Maltha, J.C., and Kuijpers-Jagtman, A.M. (2013). Palatal Wound Healing: The Effects of Scarring on Growth. Cleft Lip and Palate, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-30770-6_14"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"661","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-051X.2011.01732.x","article-title":"The interproximal clinical attachment level to classify gingival recessions and predict root coverage outcomes: An explorative and reliability study","volume":"38","author":"Cairo","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"593","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpe.12254","article-title":"Tunnel technique with connective tissue graft versus coronally advanced flap with enamel matrix derivative for root coverage: A RCT using 3D digital measuring methods. Part II. Volumetric studies on healing dynamics and gingival dimensions","volume":"41","author":"Rebele","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"986","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpe.12918","article-title":"Ultrasonography for noninvasive and real-time evaluation of peri-implant tissue dimensions","volume":"45","author":"Chan","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Clin. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.1259\/dmfr\/74941012","article-title":"Basic principles for use of dental cone beam computed tomography: Consensus guidelines of the European Academy of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology","volume":"38","author":"Horner","year":"2009","journal-title":"Dentomaxillofacial Radiol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"444","DOI":"10.1111\/clr.494_13509","article-title":"Palatal soft-tissue changes after connective tissue graft harvesting\u2014Tridimensional evaluation","volume":"30","author":"Ramos","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clin. Oral. Implants Res."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0501.2007.01382.x","article-title":"A new optical method to evaluate three-dimensional volume changes of alveolar contours: A methodological in vitro study","volume":"18","author":"Windisch","year":"2007","journal-title":"Clin. Oral Implants Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1708-8240.2011.00424.x","article-title":"Current Status and Perspectives of Mucogingival Soft Tissue Measurement Methods","volume":"23","author":"Ronay","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Esthet. Restor. Dent."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oooo.2014.08.012","article-title":"Soft tissue image reconstruction using cone-beam computed tomography combined with laser scanning: A novel method to evaluate the masticatory mucosa","volume":"118","author":"Yan","year":"2014","journal-title":"Oral. Surg. Oral. Med. Oral. Pathol. Oral. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"692","DOI":"10.1902\/jop.2010.090381","article-title":"Free Gingival Grafts: Graft Shrinkage and Donor-Site Healing in Smokers and Non-Smokers","volume":"81","author":"Silva","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Periodontol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"393","DOI":"10.11607\/prd.5268","article-title":"Three-dimensional volumetric analysis of the palatal donor site following soft tissue harvesting","volume":"42","author":"Tavelli","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Periodontics Restor. Dent."}],"container-title":["Dentistry Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-6767\/10\/6\/109\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T23:28:40Z","timestamp":1760138920000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-6767\/10\/6\/109"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,13]]},"references-count":33,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6]]}},"alternative-id":["dj10060109"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/dj10060109","relation":{},"ISSN":["2304-6767"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2304-6767"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,13]]}}}