3D-Printed Surgical Template “Mucoguide” to Increase Predictability in Mucogingival Surgery: Technical Note and Case Report

Mucogingival surgery is a reliable technique to treat both functional and esthetic issues on teeth. In particular, the treatment success of gingival recessions depends on the flap design, as an inaccurate flap design could lead to surgical failure. For this reason, a new software-guided tool to design and perform mucogingival incisions was proposed. After selecting a flap design in accordance with the mucogingival technique, a template is designed that allows the clinician to guide the mucogingival flap in terms of incision line positions and blade inclination. The guide also incorporated the palatal box to collect a connective tissue graft. The printed guide is stabilized via tooth support, and the 45-degree inclination of the edges allows a beveled incision that follows the flap design. Afterward, the guide is removed, and the surgery is completed with papillae deepithelialization, connective tissue grafting, and flap closure. At 12 months, both sites achieved successful coverage according to the planning. This new digital tool to transfer flap design from the screen to the surgical field reduces the surgical time and number/frequency of mistakes that could lead to a negative outcome.