Periocover: The lesser known periodontal flaps

Abstract

Surgical cleansing of the defect and the root surface can re-establish periodontal health when proper plaque control is established. However, different surgical techniques have been advocated to conservatively treat intrabony defects. Conservative surgery involves various surgical approaches whichaim at gaining access to the root surface and accomplish the removal of residual debris with no active removal of bone and most often no resection of soft tissues. The underlying objectives towards the procedures aim to facilitate visual access with minimal reduction in the shape and anatomy of the soft or bone tissues along with alteration in the shape and outline of the soft and, occasionally hard tissues, in order to achieve controlled pocket depth reduction. Minimally invasive periodontal surgical approaches and microsurgical techniques are currently being evaluated and may show advantages in wound-healing outcomes and less recession and patient morbidity. In this manuscript, we intend to discuss about certain flaps like saddle flap, laterally stretched flap, book flap and bridge flap along with incisions which are less discussed and have been recently incorporated in the practice with simple and better results.