To the best of our knowledge, the equality of CAF + EMD and CAF + FCTG regarding complete root coverage in Miller class I and II recession-type defects is still uncertain.
Aim: The aim of the current paper is to compare the effect of CAF + EMD versus CAF + FCTG regarding complete root recession coverage. Thereby, equality on the longer term of both therapeutic options is hypothesized (H0— hypothesis).
Materials and methods: Three reviewers searched independently within the electronic database Pubmed/Medline. Only RCTs reporting quantitative data for the outcome variable percentage complete root coverage (%CRC) for the therapeutic options CAF + EMD or CAF + FCTG were considered. Additionally a manual search in the reference lists of all included publications was accomplished.
Results: After electronical and manual search for relevant studies, the three independent reviewers (DZ, TU, AL) screened 552 titles, resulting in 102 abstracts and 41 full-texts. Eventually, twenty-five papers could be included for meta-analysis. By comprehensively comparing data from RCTs for the outcome variable “percentage complete root coverage”, statistically significant weighted mean differences in favor of CAF + FCTG were found at 6, 12 and 24 months.
Conclusion: Regarding percentage complete root coverage, CAF + EMD is not as effective as CAF + FCTG for Miller class I and II recession— type defects.
