BUCCAL FAT PAD FLAP IN MANAGEMENT OF OROANTRAL FISTULA

Many options are exercised to affect surgical management of oroantral fistulae. Postoperative wound dehiscence is not uncommon, and the surgical management of such fistulae often becomes increasingly difficult because of a lingering maxillary sinus infection. This was a retrospective study done on 23 patients in which a double layered technique, consisting of buccal fat pad in conjunction with buccal advancement flap was used for surgical closure of oroantral fistulae. Only 3 of the patients had had a failure of the closure. We recommend this technique because of its many advantages and low risk of complications.