Summary
One of the main objectives of maxillofacial surgery is to restore patient normal anatomy, function and esthetic. Among the various tissues used to achieve the above, is the buccal fat pad. Currently, there is sufficient clinical evidence and knowledge regarding this tissue type, to approve its use as graft or flap, in order to treat a number of conditions that affect the maxillofacial area. Furthermore, it has shown various esthetical as well as functional results. The purpose of this narrative review is to describe different indications of the buccal fat pad, as a flap and autologous graft in treating various maxillofacial abnormalities. A search was conducted between april and june 2018 using 3 electronic data bases: PubMed, EBSCO and Cochrane library. Key words used were buccal fat pad, Bichat’s fat pad y oral surgery using Boolean terms AND/ OR. Studies published between 2014 and 2018 were selected. For the study, 17 complete text studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected; two systematic reviews, eight randomized clinical trials, six observational studies and one case series. The use of the buccal fat pad as flap and graft for correcting maxillofacial abnormalities, is a predictable and versatile technique. The total number of studies analyzed, support its use in this surgical field. In conclusion and despite these results however, there is a need for further randomized clinical trials with a greater number of cases, long term follow up, and greater parameter assessment to support the use of the buccal fat pad in maxillofacial surgery.
KEY WORDS: buccal fat pad, bichat’s fat pad y oral surgery.
How to cite this article
ALTSCHILLER, M. J.; NOGUERA, P. A.; MUÑOZ, Z. T.; POOLEY, D. P. & SOLÉ, V. P. Buccal fat pad indications as a flap and autologous graft in maxillofacial surgery. Narrative review. Int. J. Odontostomat., 12 (4):362-367, 2018.
