title: Esthetic management of mucogingival defects after excision of epulis using laterally positioned flaps.
abstract: Epulis is a benign hyperplasia of the oral soft tissues. Surgical excision always extends to the periosteum and includes scaling of adjacent teeth to remove any possible irritants. The esthetics of the soft tissues may be compromised, however. This article studies three cases in which an immediate laterally positioned flap (LRF) was used to repair mucogingival defects after epulis biopsies. After 24 months, the color and shape of the surgical areas were healthy and stable, nearly complete root coverage was evident, and no lesions reoccurred. For repairing gingival defects after biopsy, LRF appears to be minimally traumatic while promoting esthetic outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, The Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yu-feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Jie-lei
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Zhi-kai
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Georgios E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Romanos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000601:surgery*; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000009:adverse effects*