OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to observe the healing process of palate wound with denuded bone restored with transplanted buccal or palatal mucosa and to elucidate the mechanism of maxillary growth inhibition following palate repair.

METHODS32 Japan white rabbits, 5 weeks old, were selected as the subjects for this study. They were divided into 4 groups at random. The rabbits in group I was the control without receiving any treatment. The rabbits in group II, III, IV was surgically denuded the bone of palate, and afterwards, the rabbits in group II were not received further restoration, but rabbits in group III and IV were restored with transplanted buccal and palatal mucosa respectively. From 2 to 14 weeks after surgery, at regular intervals, palatal wounds were observed by using a light microscope. Histological changes were also compared among different groups.

RESULTSIt was found in group II that dense connective tissue was formed 2 weeks after the surgery, and Sharpey's fibers was formed between the scar and bone tissue 4 weeks after the surgery. However, no Sharpey's fiber was found in group III and group IV, and in the latter two groups, the histological character of tissue was similar to that of the control.

CONCLUSIONPrevention of the attachment of Sharpey's fibers to the palatal bone could be effectively accomplished by covering the denuded palatal bone with the transplanted buccal or palatal mucosa.