Closure of oroantral communications using heterologous biomaterials stabilized by porcine cortical lamina: A case series.

Purpose: To describe a surgical technique for oroantral communication closure and bone regeneration that can meet the needs of an effective, less invasive, and simpler surgery using approaches and biomaterials used in guided bone regeneration (GBR) techniques. The main objective was to close the communication, and the secondary was to achieve bone regeneration.

Methods: This retrospective and monocentric case series was conducted using data obtained from the medical records of 28 patients with oroantral communications with bone deficits greater than 3 mm and treated with heterologous cortico-cancellous graft covered with resorbable collagen membranes and heterologous cortical lamina. The primary outcome was closure of the communication, and the secondary outcome was bone augmentation, both tested radiographically and clinically.

Results: 28 subjects were treated consecutively for the closure of oroantral communications. The subjects included 16 men and 12 women. The mean age was 57.5 years. Closure was successful in all 28 cases, and radiographic control after 6 months showed bone regeneration in all the cases. This technique was effective in isolating the maxillary sinus from the oral cavity, showing results in terms of seal and healing, and bone regeneration.

Clinical significance: Oroantral communications are frequent in dentistry, requiring special expertise and interventions affecting patient morbidity. The use of a heterologous cortical lamina can allow effective closure of the communication, preventing migration of pathological epithelia while increasing the bone ridge.