Nonclosure Versus Closure of Buccal Mucosal Graft Harvest Site: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Objective: To compare the postprocedural oral pain scale and other patient reported oral morbidities for nonclosure vs closure of buccal mucosal graft (BMG) harvest sites through systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in September 2018. Nonrandomized comparative studies were summarized and randomized controlled trials were evaluated according to the Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. The outcomes assessed were: pain, perioral numbness, mouth opening tightness, and impairment of oral intake. Standardized mean difference, and relative risk with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were extrapolated. Effect estimates were pooled using the inverse variance method with a random-effects model. Subgroup analysis was performed according to the shape of the BMG harvested. PROSPERO registry (CRD42016043502).

Results: A total of 269 patients from 4 randomized controlled trials were included for meta-analysis. Overall pooled effect estimates on the reported pain score assessed on postprocedural day 1, day 3-7 and 6 months, have shown no significant difference between the closure and nonclosure treatment groups. Subgroup analysis showed that rectangular shaped BMG harvest sites that were not closed had lower pain scores (standardized mean difference-0.90, 95% confidence interval -1.70, -0.10) on postoperative day 1. No reported short or long-term oral morbidities required further surgical intervention in either treatment group.

Conclusion: The evidence suggests that at 6-month follow-up, there is no overall significant difference between nonclosure and closure of BMG harvest sites. However, among rectangular shaped BMG, not closing the harvest site may lead to less immediate postoperative pain when compared to closure of the harvest site.