An Underestimated Tool For Vestibuloplasty - A Case Report

Introduction Maintenance of good oral hygiene is required for optimum periodontal health that increases the longevity of the person’s natural dentition. Hence the key objective of periodontal therapy is to reproduce an environment which results in high standard of oral hygiene as inadequate oral hygiene is associated with mucogingival deformities. A mucogingival deformity refers to a significant departure from the normal shape of gingiva, alveolar mucosa and the u n d e r l y i n g a l v e o l a r b o n e . [ 1 ] Mucogingival deformities can be classified as congenital, developmental, or acquired defects.[2] These may crop up around natural teeth, implants and edentulous ridges. It includes various conditions such as gingival recession, lack of keratinized gingiva, decreased vestibular depth or shallow vestibule or inadequate vestibule depth, aberrant frenum or muscle position and gingival excess. Among these deformities, shallow vestibule is the most frequently encountered abnormality and is often associated with plaque accumulation consequently leading to marginal gingival inflammation. This condition is particularly seen on the labial aspect in the mandibular anterior region and it poses problem not only periodontally but also prosthetically.[3] Treatment of s h a l l o w v e s t i b u l e i n c l u d e s vestibuloplasty which is a surgical