BACKGROUND: The temporalis muscle flap gained its significance and became widely used in the reconstruction of head and neck oncologic surgery ever since its role in successfully reconstructing the palate and mouth floor in 1981. Nonetheless, with the progress of microsurgery, microvascular free flaps had now become the most frequently used flap in head and neck reconstruction. Thus the temporalis muscle flap became less commonly utilized and its importance easily overlooked. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 5 patients treated with temporalis muscle flap for reconstruction in a single institution between 2005 and 2006. Of the 5 patients, 2 had palatal cancer and 3 had buccal cancer. The overall analysis was based on the surgical method, survival rate, post operational side effect, and recovery rate of the temporalis flap to evaluate the feasibility and its advantages, as well as disadvantages, of this particular flap. RESULTS: Of the 5 patients, with a mean age of 52.6, 4 were males and 1 female. The average operation time was 1.5 hours, and the average hospital stay was 17.8 days. Three patients received post operation radiotherapy. There was no flap necrosis or permanent facial nerve damage, nor was there any partial flap necrosis or suture dehiscence. CONCLUSION: The temporalis flap has the noteworthy advantages of moderate thickness, flexibility, versatility, viability, wide angle rotating ability, within close range of oral defect, aesthetically sound being hairless, short operational time, and simple operative procedure for fixation. Patients may also be arranged for radiotherapy soon after surgery. Thus, in addition to microvascular free flap, the temporalis flap remains a favorable choice in the reconstruction of defects in the orbital, maxillary, palatal, buccal and retromolar trigone regions.