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Gum graft surgery: does the bed matter for thin gums?

NCT ID NCT05684068

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Iowa Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 09, 2026 · Last updated Sep 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at the University of Iowa are studying people with thin gum tissue who need a gum graft to cover exposed tooth roots. The trial compares two ways of preparing the gum bed before placing a graft: removing all tissue down to the bone, or leaving a thin layer of tissue over the bone. Fifty adults will be randomly assigned to one of the two methods, and researchers will track gum thickness and other outcomes over 12 months to see whether one approach works better.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
A gum graft taken from the patient's own mouth and placed on two different prepared gum beds
What this could lead to
If one bed preparation works better, dentists could use it to help gum grafts hold their thickness and protect exposed tooth roots in people with thin gums.
What could go wrong
This is a small, single-center study of 50 people, so the results may not apply to everyone. Gum graft surgery carries risks of bleeding, infection, graft failure, and discomfort at the donor site.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 50 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2028

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Mar 2031

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 95 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients 18-95 years of age * Inactive periodontal disease * Lack of, or an insufficient (less than 2 millimeters) band of keratinized tissue width on the buccal site (closest to the cheek) * Shallow vestibule depth (the space between the soft tissue (lips and cheeks), and the teeth and gums) * Thin gingival phenotype (less than 1.5mm of gum tissue depth). * Aberrant frenum attachment in need of free-epithelized gingival grafts. * At least one RT1, 2, or 3 (Cairo's classification) gingival recession defect on the mandibular anterior sextant (Teeth #22-27). * Non-smokers or past smokers (those who have stopped at minimum 6 months ago). * Patient willing and able to follow instruction related to the study procedures. Exclusion Criteria: * Previous soft tissue augmentation procedures at the area of interest. * Current smokers (Light smokers meaning less than 10 cigarettes/day, heavy smokers meaning more than 10 cigarettes/day, or social smokers) * Uncontrolled systemic disease (uncontrolled diabetes defined by blood sugar HbA1c greater than 7%) * Any active local or systemic infections * Any diseases or medications that may compromise normal wound healing * Currently receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy or a history of radiotherapy in head and neck area. * Severe hematologic (blood) disorders * Pregnancy or nursing mother * Patients undergoing orthodontic therapy * Patients taking antibiotics in the past 3 months

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

gingival recession

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Gingival recession

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics

    Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States

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