A Novel Approach for the Coronal Advancement of the Buccal Flap

An adequate flap release is necessary to perform a tension-free suture over an augmented area. This is a fundamental requisite to attain and maintain a reliable biological seal, protecting the graft from bacterial contamination during the healing period. In the posterior mandible, in particular, the use of conventional periosteal incisions is not always sufficient for a proper buccal flap passivation, as they are often limited by anatomical factors. This article reports a series of 76 consecutive cases of vertical guided bone regeneration in the posterior mandible introducing a novel surgical technique to enhance the coronal advancement of the buccal flap in a safe and predictable way.