Clinical results of cultured epithelial cell grafting in the oral and maxillofacial region.

Cultured epithelium has proven to be a good grafting material for skin defects. In our experience two kinds of epithelial cells, skin keratinocytes and mucosal cells, have been used to fabricate cultured epithelial sheets and autografted to the patients. Traumatic scars of the face were treated by cultured epidermal epithelium (CEE). The skin graft in the oral cavity was replaced by mucosa using cultured mucosal epithelium (CME). Also, the CME was applied to the skin defects at the donor sites of split-thickness skin grafts. Postsurgical follow-up showed good results. As a result, CME was useful in improving the biological environment around the abutments of dental implants, and it also promoted the re-epithelialization of skin defects. From our investigations, CEE/CME are promising treatment modalities which can reduce pain and speed up the healing process in burn patients. Therefore, cultured epithelium banks are worth establishing for auto- and allografting of skin/mucosal defects.