The maximum advisable time for leaving a gingival retraction cord in place during clinical procedures is 5-10 minutes.

- Gingival retraction cords are used to temporarily displace the gingival tissues to obtain an accurate impression of the tooth margins.
- While the cord needs to remain in place long enough to achieve adequate hemostasis and tissue displacement, prolonged placement can cause tissue trauma, ischemia, and inflammation.

- Leaving the cord for less than 3 minutes might not provide adequate retraction.
- Placing the cord for more than 10 minutes can lead to compression injury and damage to the gingival sulcus.
- The ideal balance is to keep the cord in place for 5 to 10 minutes, which allows effective tissue displacement while minimizing the risk of injury.

Therefore, the recommended maximum time to leave the gingival retraction cord in place is 5-10 minutes.

Reference: Sturdevant's Art and Science of Operative Dentistry, Volume 1, Chapter on Gingival Retraction, Page 215