Indian Journal of Dental Research, vol.23, no.6, pp.770-773, 2012 (Scopus)
Objective:
Stereophotogrammetry (SPT) is a method in which three-dimensional coordinates
are calculated from multiple two-dimensional projections. The purpose of this study was to
compare the surface area changes between the secondary healing and grafting vestibuloplasty
techniques in the mandible by using a stereophotogrammetric technique (SPT).
Patients and Methods:
Thirteen patients were included in this study: six patients were managed
by using full-thickness skin or palatal mucosa grafts (two full-thickness palatal mucosal grafts
and four full-thickness skin grafts); the remaining seven patients, who did not accept a second
surgery for graft harvesting, underwent secondary epithelization vestibuloplasties. Postoperative
changes of surgical areas were measured by using SPT.
Statistical Analyses:
The Wilcoxon (intragroup comparisons) and Mann-Whitney U (intergroup
comparisons) tests were used for analysis of data.
Results:
In the grafting vestibuloplasty group, the surface area gain was statistically significant
(P < 0.05). In the secondary epithelization vestibuloplasty group, there was no significant
difference (P > 0.05), with even decrease of surface area being noted in some cases.
Conclusion:
SPT is a valid method for measurement of intraoral soft tissue changes.