Use of amnion as a graft material in vestibuloplasty: a preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical use of amnion as a biodegradable graft material for vestibuloplasty.


METHODS
Seven subjects who had been referred for preprosthetic surgery underwent mandibular vestibuloplasty using Clark's technique and amnion as graft material. Fresh amniotic membrane was placed in the area and an acrylic splint was used with soft liner and 0.4-mm wires to cover the surgical site. The area was reexamined after 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months.


RESULTS
A white necrotic soft tissue layer could be seen with underlying hyperemic tissue and an average reduction of 1 to 3 mm in the depth of the labial vestibule after a week. By the end of the second week, the necrotic layer had disappeared, leaving slightly hyperemic mucosal tissue under. By the third week, the graft area could be noticed but the amnion had completely degenerated and disappeared. After 4 weeks, the subjects could be referred for their prosthodontic treatment. The reduction in the depth of the buccal vestibule ranged from 17% to 40% after 6 months' follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Amnion might be used as a potential graft material for vestibuloplasty.
Samandari
Mohammad Hassan
MH
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Yaghmaei
Masoud
M
Ejlali
Masoud
M
Moshref
Mohammad
M
Saffar
Arash Shoja
AS
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D013165:Splints; D014016:Tissue Conditioning, Dental; D014727:Vestibuloplasty / Q000379:methods*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
D000180:Acrylic Resins