Moghees Baig, Saeed Balawi,
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Division, Riyadh Military Hospital, P.O. Box 7897, Riyadh 11159, Saudi Arabia.

The incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma is quite high in Saudi Arabia and local habits of CHAT chewing, etc. have been implicated in the aetiology. In spite of improvements in medical care, surgical managements, cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the resulting mortality and morbidity is quite alarming. Survival is significantly influenced by early detection and aggressive combined therapy.

This paper reviews the incidence in different parts of the world, predominant sites in oral cavity and comparing it with our experience of Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh in the last 5 years. Known aetiological factors, different clinical presentations, modern investigation techniques and different modalities of treatment are analysed. Particular emphasis is given to different reconstructive techniques and supported by different cases treated at our unit in the last 5 years.

Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.41:p42.

42. Alveolar ridge augmentation by purified fibrillar collagen and hydroxylapetite mixture (alveoform biograft)

Alveolar ridge augmentation by purified fibrillar collagen and hydroxylapatite mixture (alveoform biograft).

-   Some of the earliest materials used to augment deficient alveolar ridges were
bioceramics. Calcium aluminate ceramic, tricalcium phosphate, and
hydroxylapatite were used. In 1976, Jarcho et al introduced a purer form of
hydroxylapatite (HA) that offers higher compressive strength. This material
could be used subperiosteal^ with relatively minimal surgical manipulation.
Both porous and dense types of HA were developed. In general, HA is not
readily resorbed and provides strong attachment to both soft and hard tissues.

-   PFC/HA is prepared in finger-like or stick fashion; the HA granules are bound
together within a cohesive collagen matrix, which facilitates ease of insertion on
the alveolar ridge.

In this report, 3 cases had been treated for alveolar ridge augmentation by PFC/HA. Two cases for mandibular ridge augmentation and one for both mandibular and maxillary ridges augmentation. All patients were followed for at least one year. The results show that PFC/HA has been found to be effacious in augmenting and reconstructing the atrophic alveolar ridges.

Also, PFC/HA has been inserted in jaw bone defects after surgical enucleation of cysts in 5 cases which have been followed for more than one year and given excellent results in terms of restoring these defects.

Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.42:p43.

  MohamedOnsy Gharib,
Riyadh Central Hospital, P. O. Box 2897, Riyadh 11196, Saudi Arabia.

152 patients with mandibular fractures were treated in Riyadh Central Hospital and Riyadh Dental Center in the period from October 1988 to July 1991. 109 (71%) of these patients were treated with open methods (37 transosseous wiring and 72 with bone plates).

This study was made on the 72 patients (with 141 mandibular fractures) treated with bone plates. 47 patients (65.3%) were able to function immediately following surgery. 14 patients (19.4%) needed extended period of intermaxillary fixation (IMF) because of the condylar fractures or multiple facial injuries. 11 patients (15.3%) needed IMF with elastic bands for 4-7 days. Only 3 patients (4.16%) developed post-operative infection.

Analysis of the data showed that bone plate is an effective and reliable method of fixation in certain patients and in different types of fractures.

Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.43:p44.

44. Evaluation    of   fenestrated   mucosal   flap   vestibuloplasty (khalil's technique)

Abd. El-Aziz Fahmy Khalil,
Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

Atrophy of the edentulous alveolar ridges might cause some health problems, such as poor denture retention and stability. Pain is also another problem due to the pressure caused by the small denture area of the atrophied ridge.

Vestibuloplasty, ridge augmentation and different types of implants were used to overcome the problems of flat alveolar ridge.

Regarding the techniques of vestibuloplasty, not a single one is universally applicable. Accordingly, the aims of our work are to introduce a modified technique of vestibuloplasty that might overcome the problems of relapse; to guarantee proper repositioning of the tissues and muscles, and to provide rapid healing of the raw area without the use of any grafting material.

Thirty patients had been operated upon by our modified technique, patients were followed-up for more than 5 years.

The results of this technique were excellent regarding the immediate and the delayed post-operative results. The post-operative period had passed smoothly with minimal edema and discomfort. The delayed folow-up of the patients indicated good retention and stability of the denture and almost no significant relapse of the sulcus depth.

Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.44:p45.

  OmarF. Shehab Al-Din,
P.O. Box 1543, Al-Khobar 31952, Saudi Arabia.

This is a prospective study of twenty patients from University College Hospital, undergoing Le-Fort I osteotomy. The effect of the Le-Fort I osteotomy on the sensory never supply of the teeth and soft tissue of the palate, buccal gingiva, and face have been studied. In the review of the literature, majority of the studies were retrospective and on segmental osteotomies.

Fine touch, pin prick, cold sensation to the soft tissues and teeth sensitivity was assessed in twenty patients pre-operatively and was graded for each patient. These data were reassessed post-operatively related to the original grading for each patient.

The results showed that teeth sensitivity were responsive to electric pulp testing at 6 months follow up. Fine touch and pin prick sensation was decreased during the first week post-operatively. At 6 months follow-up, the soft tissues recovered their pin prick and fine touch sensation.

There was slight decrease to cold sensation initially in the face among all patients, but this comes back at 3 months follow-up.

Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.45:p46.