Prospects of the use of buccal fat pad for closing defects of the alveolar processes of the jaws

Abstract

Summary. In modern surgical dental practice, doctors often meet with the need to close the soft tissue defects of the oral cavity. The researches in recent years are aimed to the development of such methods of surgery that would provide sanation of the inflammatory focus, the revival of physiological processes on place of soft tissue defects or create conditions for their recovery and provide a full function. The easy access to buccal fat pad causes interest of regarding its application for the closure of defects. The aim of the study – to analyze and learn the literature data of various methods of application of buccal fat pad for autotransplantation in closing defects of the maxillofacial area in comparison with the use of other transplants. In recent years, a large spread have methods of reconstructive plastic surgery by using autotransplantats. In the literature there are data on the positive results of surgical closure of tissue defects by autotransplantation of adipose tissue and, in particular, the buccal fat pad. The buccal fat pad has its own connective tissue capsule and well-developed vascular net, provides nutrition to the transplant and rapid healing of the postoperative wound; does not require prior preparation and adaptation to the recipient’s bed. It allows to use it in maxillofacial surgery to close the defects of the upper jaw, elimination of oral-antral connection, in the reconstruction of intraoral defects such as oral-antral fistula, with loss of bone mass of the lower jaw in the area of molars and premolars, to eliminate defects in cancer pathology of the face. Advantageous anatomical position, a good blood circulation and lack of innervation of buccal fat pad facilitates the task of surgeon and gives better results of operations. The studies has shown the process of epithelialization of wounds for 1 week after surgery and a stable clinical course without complications in the long-term observation, which proves the relevance of the use of buccal fat pad in modern maxillofacial surgery with the aim to improve existing and develop new methods of autotransplantation.