Pig tendon material could replace painful palate grafts in gum surgery

NCT ID NCT07713199

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study compares two materials used in gum graft surgery for people with thin or missing gum tissue around teeth or dental implants. One group receives a graft made from their own palate tissue, while the other group receives a graft made from a collagen matrix derived from pig Achilles tendon (Zderm), which is already FDA-approved for this use. The goal is to see if the porcine material works as well as the patient's own tissue in increasing the width of healthy gum tissue. Both materials have been used for years, but this is the first direct comparison.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
a porcine-derived collagen soft tissue matrix (Zderm) used as a graft material
What this could lead to
If successful, this could show that the porcine collagen matrix works as well as a patient's own tissue for gum grafts, avoiding the need for a second surgical site on the palate.
What could go wrong
This is a relatively small study, and the porcine collagen matrix may not perform as well as the patient's own tissue in terms of healing or long-term stability. Individual results may vary.

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 68 people

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

Expected to start

Sep 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Jan 2029

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 89 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

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: * Male or female patient aged 18 to 89 * One or more teeth/dental implants, excluding 3rd molars, that have been identified by dental faculty as requiring augmentation of KT * A FSTG is indicated and treatment planned to augment the KT. Coverage of exposed root surfaces is not indicated or intended. Patients needing root coverage surgical procedures re not eligible for enrollment (similar to our past studies, see references 11,12) * Female patients who have undergone a hysterectomy, tubal ligation, or menopause, and non-pregnant women of child-bearing potential as eligible. * Patients who are nonsmokers or former smokers are eligible. Current smokers may also be included if they smoke \<10 cigarettes per day (less than or equal to 10 cigarettes per day). Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with a known allergy to collagen of animal origins. * Patients who will not cooperate with the follow-up schedule. * Patients will not be entered who are mentally incompetent, prisoners, or pregnant. * Patients who require soft tissue grafting specifically to treat exposed root coverage (gingival recession) * Pregnant women or women intending to become pregnant during the study period (as confirmed verbally; an over-the-counter pregnancy test will be provided if pregnancy status is unknown or suspected). * Patients who become pregnant during the study will be withdrawn and standard care will be delivered. * Patients with active or systemic infections other than periodontitis; a disease entity, condition or therapeutic regimen which decreases probability of soft tissue healing, e.g., poorly controlled diabetes, autoimmune diseases, long-term steroid therapy. * Smokers who smoke \>10 cigarettes per day (more than 10 cigarettes per day) * People who live more than 50 miles from the UTSA School of Dentistry are not eligible.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Dental implant are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

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

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  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

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry

    San Antonio, Texas, 78229, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.