The effects of length of surgery on healing of full and partial thickness flaps.

Partial and full thickness flaps which were were made in the facial gingiva of 10 dogs were reflected for 15 or 90 min. Specimens were examined histologically and biochemically from 3 to 28 days after initial surgery. The results indicate that flaps refelected for 15 min exhibited faster epithelial closure than those reflected for 90 min. Partial thickness flaps reflected for both 15 and 90 min showed less inflammation than full thickness flaps at 3 and 7 days post surgery and healed faster in respect to epithelial closure, mesenchymal healing, and bone regeneration. Biochemical analysis of the collagen concentration of the tissure flaps revealed similar collagen content in full and partial thickness flaps reflected for 15 min; however, the collagen concentration of partial thickness flaps opened for 90 min was higher than that in full thickness flaps.