Extraoral Uses of Autologous Oral Soft Tissue Grafts: A Different Bridge Between Mouth and Body Health

Focused Clinical Question: Are there any extraoral uses for intraoral soft tissue grafts? Summary: Despite extensive literature on the intraoral uses of soft tissue autografts harvested from oral sites, the periodontal literature is lacking information on the extraoral uses of such grafts. The purpose of this article is to review the autologous use of certain oral soft tissue grafts for extraoral indications. A literature search revealed that several medical specialties, including otolaryngology, ophthalmology, dermatology, plastic surgery, and urology, have a track record of positive outcomes with the use of free gingival, buccal fat pad, and buccal mucosa grafts for a wide variety of reconstructive procedures at diverse body sites. Conclusions: The numerous successful extraoral uses of oral soft tissue autografts underscore the versatility of these tissues in reconstructive surgery and suggest there is potential for collaboration between periodontal and medical specialists for the benefit of patients in need of such reconstructions. Broader awareness of these applications of oral soft tissue grafts could help expand their current uses and would allow practitioners to better answer possible patient inquiries.