Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures of Palatal Donor Site Healing Using Polyvinylpyrrolidone–Sodium Hyaluronate Gel as a Dressing Material Following Free Gingival Graft Harvesting: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluates the efficacy of polyvinylpyrrolidone–sodium hyaluronate (PVP-SH) gel as a dressing material in enhancing both clinical and patient-reported outcomes post-free gingival graft (FGG) harvesting from the hard palate. Material and Methods: This randomized clinical trial included 18 patients and spanned from June 2022 to August 2023. Patients received an FGG procedure to manage a lack of attached gingiva. Following graft harvesting, patients were divided into two groups: the control group, which received Coe-Pak, and the test group, which was treated with PVP-SH gel. The primary outcome measured was complete epithelialization. Secondary outcomes included the Landry healing scale, post-operative pain level, and patient willingness to receive the same treatment again. Results: The test group reported significantly lower analgesic use (p < 0.001) and reduced pain severity (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Furthermore, test group patients indicated a higher level of satisfaction regarding the prospect of retreatment. In contrast, the control group showed significantly slower progress in wound healing and epithelization (p < 0.05) compared to the test group. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that PVP-SH gel is a superior dressing material post-FGG harvesting, yielding improved clinical and patient-reported outcomes relative to Coe-Pak.