A new surgical management for oro-antral communication: the resorbable guided tissue regeneration membrane--bone substitute sandwich technique.

This paper describes a new technique for the closure of oro-antral fistula/communication, in which both hard tissue (bone) and soft tissue closure is achieved. The sandwich technique utilizes a suitable bone grafting material sandwiched between two sheaths of Biogide (a resorbable membrane) for the hard tissue closure of oro-antral communication post traumatic exodontia. The bone grafting material utilized for this case was Bio-oss. The result obtained was excellent with regeneration of sufficient bony tissue to allow placement of an endosseous implant. This sandwich technique is a simple and excellent technique for the closure of oro-antral communication, especially when subsequent placement of endosseous implant is considered without the need of donor site surgery for bone grafting. The otorhinolaryngologists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons should find this technique very useful in the closure of oro-antral fistulae.