Alterations in crevicular fluid flow during healing following gingivectomy and flap procedures

Gingival fluid was collected from the mesial aspects of the anterior teeth of twelve patients before initial preparation and two weeks after completion of this. All pockets from which fluid was collected were measured prior to initial preparation. On twelve occasions pockets were eliminated by conventional gingivectomy and on eight flaps were reflected followed by curettage and osteoplasties. Gingival fluid was collected immediately prior to operation and at two, three and four weeks post‐operatively. A strong correlation (r =+0.93: P < 0.001) was found between pocket depth and the amount of the gingival fluid exudate. Initial preparation reduced the amount of fluid flow, the extent of the reduction being significant (P < 0.01) where pockets were deep. No significant change in the amount of fluid flow had occurred two weeks after either type of operation but there were significant reductions (P < 0.01) between the third and fourth post‐operative weeks when flap procedures had been performed and in the fourth post‐operative week in the case of gingivectomies. The level of gingival fluid flow was the same in both groups four weeks after the operations even though it was twice as great in the flap procedures group as in the gingivectomy group before operation.