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NCT Number: NCT07500935

Palatal Wound Healing After Free Gingival Graft Harvest in Diabetic Patients: A Clinical Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate local and systemic factors involved in palatal mucosal healing after Free Gingival Graft harvest in diabetic patients and to compare them with those in non-diabetic patients.

Diabetic and non-diabetic volunteers of both sexes aged ≥ 18 years with gingival recession may participate. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. If the palatal wound healing (area of the wound) and percentage of wound epithelialization are different in diabetics compared to non-diabetics. 2. If different factors, such as the oral microbiome, inflammatory markers, and others, are associated with the clinical outcome.

Participants will be asked:

* Receive the procedure to treat their gingival recession defects * To attend follow-up visits at 7, 14, 30, and 90 days after treatment. * To provide different biological samples * To answer different questionnaires.

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Key information

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus Endocrine System Diseases Gingival Diseases Gingival Recession Gingival Recession, Generalized Gingival Recession, Localized Glucose Metabolism Disorders Metabolic Diseases Mouth Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Periodontal Atrophy Periodontal Diseases Stomatognathic Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • aged ≥ 18 years;
  • non-diabetic and diabetic patients (HbA1c>7% (American Diabetes Association 2025) managed with oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin;
  • in the need of gingival recession treatment (RT1) in upper or lower arches with identifiable or restored cement-enamel junction (CEJ);
  • periodontal stable (BoP ≤25%)(Lang et al. 2003);
  • no morphological or pathological conditions in the palatal mucosa.

Exclusion criteria

  • patients with cardiovascular, blood dyscrasias, and immunodeficiency that contraindicate surgical procedures;
  • taking medications known to interfere with the wound healing process or that contraindicate the surgical procedure;
  • Pregnancy/lactation (assessed via self-report);
  • current opportunistic oral lesions that mainly colonize the palate region;
  • subjects that have taken antibiotics within the last 3 months or need for antibiotic prophylaxis;
  • prisoners;
  • signs or symptoms of active extra-oral head and neck infection (swelling) as determined by a dentist at the time of evaluation;
  • subjects who cannot read or speak English or Spanish, and do not agree to having the assistance of an interpreter

Treatment and study plan

Free gingival graft

Procedure

Volunteers with gingival recession will be treated with coronally advanced flap and connective tissue graft (CTG). The CTG will be obtained by harvesting a 2-mm thick free gingival graft (FGG), measuring 15 × 5 mm from the palatal area between the distal of the canine and the mesial aspect of the first molar. The palatal wound will be evaluated.

Primary outcomes

  1. Remaining wound area (RWA)

    Time frame: 3 months

    The RWA will be measured in square millimeters using software (Image J- NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA) at baseline (trans-operative) and 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks after the surgery

Secondary outcomes

  1. Epithelialization - EPT

    Time frame: 3 months

    Standardized photographs will be taken after a disclosure solution (Disclosing Agent, Dentsply, Charlotte, NC, USA) application in the wound area at 1,2, 4, and 12 weeks postoperatively. The epithelialized area was calculated as the percentage of the original wound area using software (Image J- NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA) calibrated with a measuring scale in the palate.

  2. Insomnia Severity Index Survey

    Time frame: Baseline and up to 4 weeks

    The insomnia survey scores range from 0 to 28 with a higher score indicating greater insomnia.

  3. Tissue thickness - TT

    Time frame: 3 months

    An endodontic spreader with a stop rubber will be inserted at the center of the wound area until reaching the bone. The distance between the instrument tip and the rubber stopper will be measured with a digital caliper

  4. Inflammatory markers

    Time frame: 2 weeks

    The wound exudate may be collected 1 week after the procedure. Two paper strips (periopaper, Oraflow, Inc.) per wound will be individually placed and left in position for 40-60 s each. Before sampling, the wound will be gently rinsed and dried using water and an air spray. Relative isolation will then be performed immediately. If contamination with blood or saliva occurs, the paper strip will be discarded, and a new sample will be collected. In sequence, both paper strips will be placed into Eppendorf tubes and stored at -80º Celsius for further processing of inflammatory markers by Multiplex assay

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Dawn G Dawson

CONTACT

[email protected]

8593235409

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Mauro Santamaria

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Oral Mucosa Wound Healing in Diabetic Patients. A Clinical Study on Open and Closed Wounds

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2029
Study completion
2030
First posted
Mar 30, 2026
Registry last updated
May 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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