CLINICAL-RESULTS OF CULTURED EPITHELIAL-CELL GRAFTING IN THE ORAL ANDMAXILLOFACIAL REGION

Cultured epithelium has proven to be a good grafting material for skin defects. In our experience two kinds of epithelial cells, skin kerati nocytes and mucosal cells, have been used to fabricate cultured epithe lial sheets and autografted to the patients. Traumatic scars of the fa ce were treated by cultured epidermal epithelium (CEE). The skin graft in the oral cavity was replaced by mucosa using cultured mucosal epit helium (CME). Also, the CME was applied to the skin defects at the don or sites of split-thickness skin grafts. Postsurgical follow-up showed good results. As a result, CME was useful in improving the biological environment around the abutments of dental implants, and it also prom oted the re-epithelialization of skin defects. From our investigations , CEE/CME are promising treatment modalities which can reduce pain and speed up the healing process in burn patients. Therefore, cultured ep ithelium banks are worth establishing for auto- and allografting of sk in/mucosal defects.