The effect of porcine skin and autogenous epithelial grafts on the contraction of experimental oral wounds.

Autogenous oral mucosa and skin grafts have been used clinically in vestibuloplasty to limit sulcus regression. However, these procedures require an additional surgical site and therefore increase morbidity. This study was designed to determine whether fresh porcine skin grafts would be as effective as skin or palatal mucosal grafts for controlling oral wound contraction. Standard sized experimental wounds were produced in dogs and, after grafting, were studied grossly and histologically for five to 60 days. All of the grafted sites showed less contraction than the control wounds, which were allowed to heal by secondary epithelialization. These findings suggest that porcine skin could serve as an effective biologic oral dressing following vestibuloplasty.