Abstract
Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the impact of the gingival chemical-mechanical retraction procedure on the value of the gingival index (GI) and salivary concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The importance of this clinical study is that it provides an exact conclusion regarding the behaviour of the gingival tissue after the application of an impregnated retraction cord in the gingival sulcus of the subjects. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted as a prospective clinical study. The study included 60 subjects divided into two experimental groups, i.e., with and without tooth preparation. Each group was divided into two subgroups according to the retraction agent used. The parameters were measured before, one day after, and three days after the retraction procedure. Results: One day after the application of both gingival retraction agents in both study groups, there was a statistically significant increase in the value of the GI and the salivary concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α (p < 0.001) compared to the values at the beginning of the study. After 72 h, the values decreased in comparison to those from the second observation period, but they remained statistically significantly higher than the initial values of the study (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The study showed moderate inflammation of the gingival tissue one day after the retraction procedure, which decreased over time. Higher values of the studied parameters were observed with the application of the ferric sulphate-based retraction agent.