WOUND-HEALING AFTER MUCOPERIOSTEAL SURGERY IN THE CAT

The purpose of this study was to examine possible tissue-dependent dif ferences in rate of healing after mucogingival flap surgery. After int rasulcular incision and a vertical-releasing incision distal to the ma xillary and mandibular cuspids, buccal, full-thickness mucogingival fl aps were raised in four quadrants of 10 adult cats. The triangular fla ps were left open for 30 min and then repositioned and sutured. Tissue reactions were studied histologically after 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days of healing. Although new collagen occasionally was observed in the wou nd space in the free gingiva at 3 days, collagenous union between the cut dentogingival fibers and the flap seemed well established at 7 day s. Flap reattachment to the denuded cortical bone was seen at 14 days in the region of the attached gingiva. In the region of the alveolar m ucosa, however, residual coagulum and inflammatory reaction was presen t as late as at 28 days in several specimens. These observations indic ate a marked difference in rate of healing among the different interfa ces involved. These variations seem to be related to variations in siz e of the resulting wound space when a full-thickness mucoperiosteal fl ap is readapted over cervical root surfaces, alveolar bone crest, and denuded cortical bone, respectively.