Comparison of two different lingual flap advancement techniques and vascular structure identification: a human cadaver study

BACKGROUND: One of the most frequent complications in guided bone regeneration (GBR) is wound dehiscence, which compromises treatment outcomes. Thus, primary tension-free suture is essential to avoid wound dehiscence. The purpose of this study was to compare the extension of 2 different mandibular flaps in human cadaveric specimens, and to measure the size of the supraperiosteal blood vessels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five freshly unfrozen human cadaveric specimens were used. Arteries and veins were marked and bilateral classical lingual flaps (extending from the second premolar to the retromolar area) were prepared. In one side, the mylohyoid muscle was detached to increase the coronal extension of the flap. An implant drill was used to measure the extension of the flap after exerting 30 g of traction, before and after detaching the mylohyoid muscle. The size of the largest vascular structures of the flap was measured using a periodontal probe. RESULTS: The classical flap extension was 5.99 mm (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.08 to 6.90), while the coronally advanced flap extension with mylohyoid muscle detachment was 14.96 mm (95%CI: 10.81 – 19.11). A statistically significant difference was found between the 2 groups (p= 0.0002), with a mean extension difference was 8.97 mm (95%CI: 5.02 to 12.91). The mean largest artery had 0.20 mm of diameter (95%CI: 0.15 – 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: The detachment of the mylohyoid muscle from the lingual flap allows to significantly increase its extension by 2.5 times. The superficial arteries found in the lingual flap have a small diameter (around 0.2mm). Key words:Alveolar bone grafting, bone regeneration, surgical wound dehiscence, dental implants, soft tissue management.