Background: We sought to review our institution's experience with dental implant placement in free flap jaw reconstruction to determine factors impacting restoration of dental occlusion.
Methods: Exactly 48 patients underwent free flap jaw reconstruction with or without dental restoration from 2017 to 2022. Primary outcome was achievement of restored dental occlusion after jaw free flap reconstruction.
Results: A total of 48 patients with a mean age of 59.8 ± 16.4 years underwent jaw reconstruction from 2017 to 2022. Ten patients (20.8%) received osteointegrated dental implants. Two patients received a temporary dental prosthesis, 12 ± 4 months after initial reconstruction. Three patients received a final prosthesis, with a mean time to final prosthesis of 17.7 ± 12.4 months. Five patients did not receive any prosthesis despite placement of implants.
Conclusion: A minority of patients received dental implant placement with free flap jaw reconstruction and only a small subset of these received a definitive dental prosthesis.
Keywords: dental implants; dental reconstruction; free fibula flap; head and neck surgery; jaw reconstruction.
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