[Scoring early oral soft-tissue wound healing: A systematic review]

To date, there is no widely accepted system for evaluating soft tissue early healing events in oral surgery. This study aimed to identify variables used to assess early oral soft tissue wound healing. The PubMed-MEDLINE and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched up to and including March 1, 2022. Papers were included if they presented scores of wound healing after performing a mucoperiosteal flap operation with the intention of primary closure. The search yielded 2,286 unique titles and abstracts, of which 31 met the eligibility criteria. In general, the available definitions/indices were found to be imprecise. Based on the literature reviewed, six variables were considered relevant for scoring early oral soft tissue wound healing: primary closure, necrosis, redness, swelling, bleeding, and suppuration.