Versitality of the Use of Collagen Membrane in Oral Cavity.

Introduction: Bovine derived collagen membrane is usually and regularly used as a temporary cover or dressing for the extra oral wounds and for the burns on the body. It has wide applications because of its usefulness and biocompatibility. This has provoked us to do a study with the use of collagen membrane even for the intraoral minor surgical defects.

Aim: The study was conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy of collagen membrane as a biological dressing material for intraoral wounds, to check for haemostasis, pain control, granulation tissue formation, rapid re-epithelialization and minimal contracture.

Materials And Methods: A total of 30 patients 19 male, 11 female were taken for excision of various intraoral lesions like leukoplakia patches, mucocele, epulis growths, irritational fibroma, frenectomy and the surgical defects were closed with collagen membrane. Postoperatively healing was assessed by taking five clinical parameters of Haemostasis, Pain, Granulation tissue, Epithelialization, Contracture.

Results: Among 30 patients, haemostasis score was found to be good in 28 cases, fair in two cases. Pain relief score was good in seven cases, fair in 19 cases, poor in four cases. Granulation tissue formation score was good in eight cases, fair in 13 cases, poor in nine cases. Epithelialization score was good in 19 cases, fair in seven cases, poor in four cases. Contracture score was good in six cases, fair in 16 cases, poor in eight cases. Total score of all the five parameters, which was rated as effectiveness score, was calculated by using a standard scale. Final scoring was very effective in six cases, effective in 20 cases, ineffective in four cases.

Conclusion: Reconstituted bovine derived collagen membrane used in our study was found to be an effective intraoral wound dressing material for faster uneventful healing of intraorally also.