The tunneling technique as a treatment for gingival recessions: a case series

Gingival recession is an increasingly common condition in dental practice, affecting about 50% of the general population, regardless of their oral hygiene standards. It is characterized by the apical migration of the gingival margin in relation to the cementoenamel junction, leading to root exposure and clinical attachment loss, mainly on the buccal surfaces of teeth. Patients frequently report unfavorable aesthetics, dentin hypersensitivity and non-carious cervical lesions, with the aesthetic concern being a growing focus within dentistry. Treatment consists in surgical root coverage procedures when a favorable prognosis is expected, or gingival augmentation procedures in order to prevent the progression of mucogingival defects by increasing the width of keratinized tissue. In this context, the tunneling technique combined with a subepithelial connective tissue graft is considered versatile and highly efficient, not only for root coverage procedures but also for gingival augmentation and corrections in the peri-implant mucosal area, making it a widely adopted technique in periodontology and implantology. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present three clinical cases on the treatment of gingival recessions using the tunneling technique and its variations, associated with a subepithelial connective tissue graft. Stable results were observed after 3, 6 and 12-month postoperative follow-ups, with improved gingival phenotype, gain of keratinized tissue, and satisfactory root coverage in all cases. Thus, the tunneling technique and its variations are highly versatile and effective for treating gingival recessions, even in complex mucogingival defects.