Abstracts from Veterinary Dental Forum, October 26th to 28th, 2023, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

A dental fl ap is a section of gingiva, mucosa or both that is surgically separated from the underlying tissues to provide visibility of and access to the bone and root surface. Flaps are frequently used in veterinary dentistry in periodontal and oral surgery procedures. The advantages of using fl aps for complicated extractions are twofold. One, a properly created fl ap allows increased visualization and access to the tooth or teeth being extracted. Two, when closed correctly a fl ap minimizes infection of the surgical site and has a shorter recovery period to heal which means less discomfort and quicker return to normal activity. This lecture will cover a basic overview of fl aps used in veterinary dentistry for extractions and how to increase your odds of success while minimizing possible complications