RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Several approaches have been used to counteract alveolar bone resorption after tooth extraction. PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of gingival thickness and bone grafting on buccal bone remodeling in extraction sockets with thin buccal bone, using a flapless approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The gingiva of 8 dogs was thinned at one side of the mandible and mandibular premolars were extracted without flaps. The sockets were randomly assigned to the test group (thin gingiva) (TG), the test group with grafting material TG + GM, the control group (normal gingiva) (CG), or the control group with grafting material CG + GM. Ground sections were prepared from 12-week healing biopsies, and histomorphometry and fluorescence analysis were performed. RESULTS: In the groups with thin gingiva, numerically greater buccal bone loss was observed, while there were no differences between grafted and nongrafted sites. A numerically higher rate of mineralization was observed for the grafted sites, as compared with the nongrafted sites, at 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: A thin buccal bone plate leads to higher bone loss in extraction sockets, even with flapless surgery. The gingival thickness or the use of a graft material did not prevent buccal bone resorption in a naturally thin biotype, but modified the mineralization process.