Pig tendon material could replace painful palate grafts in gum surgery
NCT ID NCT07713199
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
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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
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About 68 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 89 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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.
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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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry
San Antonio, Texas, 78229, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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