A scanning electron microscopic study of the healing of free gingival grafts.

1. Gingiva from the buccal surfaces of the mandibular first molars was grafted to the alveolar mucosa of each of the three premolars in six adult Beagle dogs. Biopsies were made at 0,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10,14,21 days and at 1 and 6 months. 2. The specimens were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde, buffered with cacodylate, pH 7.4, rinsed in buffer, dehydrated in graded alcohols, critical point dried, coated with gold palladium alloy and viewed in an AMR-1000 SEM at a tilt of 20 to 25 degrees and an accelerating voltage of 20 kv. 3. The results of this study parallel those reported on the basis of light microscopic studies. The three-dimensional visualization of the graft shows that the external layer of epithelium degenerates and desquamates, except for the basal layer and the structural architecture of the connective tissue is not as well organized. 4. By 21 days the graft is essentially healed, both clinically and histologically.