Ultrasonographic Assessment of Palatal Wound Healing

The subepithelial connective tissue graft was obtained in each patient using the single incision technique from the region between the mesial of canine and the mesial of first molar in the palate. Connective tissue dimensions were approximately 10 × 5 × 2 mm. Finally, the incision line was sutured with 5/0 synthetic, nonabsorbable, sterile monofilament suture

A 6-18 MHz intraoral probe was used in intraoral USG examinations. Sterile gel was applied to the intraoral probe and covered with a stretch film. Then, it was placed directly on the mucosal surface of the donor site in the palatal area. Mucosal thickness was evaluated using the B-mode of the device, and vascularization was evaluated using the color doppler and pulsed wave doppler modes of the device. The following equation is used and calculated by US unit: Pulsality index (PI) = (Vmax-Vmin)/(Vmean) (Vmax is peak systolic flow velocity, Vmin is diastolic flow velocity and Vmean is mean flow velocity). The mean PI values of each patient were measured.

Leukocyte rich PRF (L-PRF) was obtained with the centrifugation of the two tubes at 2800 rpm for 12 minutes. After centrifugation, L-PRF clots were taken from the tubes using sterile tweezers, separated from the red blood cell base using scissors. Then L-PRF membrane was placed into the donor site.