Histological Evaluation of Keratinized Gingival Mucosa Following Fibula Flap and DentalImplantation: A Case Report

Background: Insufficient keratinized mucosais one of the biological complications in patients undergoing jaw reconstruction, and its management has rarely been reported. The reported cases of keratinized mucosareconstruction in edentulous patients undergoing implant restoration are limited, with a scarcity of histological data on the soft tissue healing process, leading to low correlation between reports. Case presentation: This report presents the documented case of keratinized mucosareconstruction with implant restoration in the edentulous jaw and provides, for the first time, histological data on the early healing phase of the keratinized mucosa, along with relevant clinical and radiographic data. Conclusions: The use of keratinized mucosagrafts in the fibula graft area can successfully reconstruct keratinized mucosaand provide robust soft tissue support, reducing the risk of peri-implant soft tissue complications. Furthermore, early histological evaluations conducted at 2 weeks and 4 weeks post-surgery provided detailed insights into the early healing processes of soft tissues in the fibula graft area providing a reference for clinicians in postoperative care and the choice of restoration timing.