The infrared thermometry: registration of healing process of the free gingival graft

Abstract

Relevance. The main aim of this article is determining the possibilities of clinical application of the infrared thermometry method in order to identify, predict and correct early complications such as ischemic and necrotic process after vestibuloplasty surgery using free gingival graft.Purpose. To determine the possibility of using the infrared thermometry method to study the regeneration processes of the mucous graft after vestibuloplasty surgery using free gingival graft.Materials and methods. 34 patients with a thin biotype and a small vestibule of the oral cavity. The vestibuloplasty was indicated. Depending on the choice of the method of surgical treatment, vestibuloplasty with/ or without free gingival graft, all patients were divided into 2 groups. And the 3rd (control) group consisted of patients with similar clinical picture for control data. Particular attention was paid to the healing process in the early postoperative period on days 1, 3, 7, 14. Patients were examined using a CEM-ThermoDiagnostics infrared thermometer.Results. The study confirmed the high clinical efficacy the both surgical methods of vestibuloplasty with/ or without free gingival graft. We did not registrate negative temperature values indicating the development of ischemic process which can lead to necrosis. We have diagnosed correlation between temperature values and clinical pictures.Conclusion. Using of IR-thermometry is an effective method for examination of the healing process after vestibuloplasty using with/ or without free gingival graft. It can show processes of revascularization of free gingival graft and examine some inflammation. This is the additional method of research, but in combination with clinical picture, it can be proposed as an accurate criterion for predicting early ischemic complications.