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Chambrone L, Lima LA et al. J Can Dent Assoc 2009; 75: 203a–203f

The aim of periodontal plastic surgery (PPS) is to improve dental aesthetics and/or dental hypersensitivity using root-coverage procedures. This systematic review examined whether or not PPS can cover denuded root surfaces. Six hundred and thirty-two articles were retrieved, 16 were interrogated and four met the inclusion criteria. Among others, the patients had to be followed-up for more than 6 months and the teeth of the patients had to have multiple recession-type defects. A range of surgical methods were reported. Free gingival grafting was used most frequently and regeneration procedures least favoured. Some studies adopted subepithelial connective tissue grafting and one trial only, used the coronally advanced flap in isolation. Regardless of surgical method, all techniques reduced recession, increased clinical attachment level and keratinised tissue. The authors state that there was a high risk of bias in all studies.