The clinical efficacy of DynaMatrix extracellular membrane in augmenting keratinized tissue.

This study was conducted to compare the efficacy and feasibility of an extracellular matrix membrane (DynaMatrix) with that of an autogenous gingival graft in increasing the width of attached keratinized tissue. Six patients with an inadequate amount of attached keratinized gingiva on the bilateral facial aspect of the mandibular posterior teeth were recruited for this study. The defect sites were randomly subjected to receive either test (DynaMatrix membrane) or control (autogenous gingival graft) treatment. Both test and control sites achieved a clinically significant increase in the amount of keratinized gingiva, and the DynaMatrix membrane-treated sites blended well with the surrounding tissue, with a better appearance when compared to the autogenous gingival grafted sites. The biopsy specimens of both test and control sites appeared to be similar histologically, with mature connective tissue covered by keratinized epithelium. The results of both clinical and histologic evaluations have suggested a potential application of an extracellular matrix membrane in achieving gingival augmentation.