Influence of electric stimulation on palatal wound healing: randomized clinical trial

Abstract

The repair is characterized as a fundamental mechanism for tissue maintenance, with the presence of a cascade of cellular and molecular events that associate the recovery of the injured areas. Surgical periodontal procedures may lead to the execution of wounds in the palate region for example, to harvest free gingival graft with the goals to root coverage, ridge preservation and accuracy of soft tissue defects around implants. However, it has been reported that this approach can cause some degree of morbidity and discomfort in the handled tissue to the patient. Therefore, a treatment for the palatine area is searched to help healing the wounds in the donor area. Many strategies have been used in an attempt to accelerate healing, one is the application of an exogenous electrical stimulation to activate tissue repair. The objective of this study is to clinically evaluate the 3-month outcome the of electrical stimulation onpalatal wounds. For this, a controlled clinical trial will be carried out following the CONSORT STATEMENT 2010. Forty-four patients in need of ridge preservation will be randomly divided in 2 groups: SHAM - Free gingival graft and sham electrical stimulation onthe palatal open wound ; TEST - Free gingival graft and electric electrical stimulation on the open palatal wound. An alternating current of 100 ¼A will be used at 9 kHz. The application of the electrical stimulus will be given for 120 seconds, once a day for 5 days. Clinical perceptions will be evaluated by means of the remaining wound area, tissue thickness, scar and colorimetry tissue, re-epithelialization, early-wound healing index. In addition,patient-related perceptions will be evaluated by post- operative discomfort, number of analgesic pills used, tissue edema and Oral Health-related Quality of Life. These parameters will be assessed at baseline andafter 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 e 90 the procedure.