Implant-Supported Rehabilitation Using GBR Combined with Bone Graft on a Reconstructed Maxilla with the Fibula Free Flap.

Alveolar ridge augmentation procedures allow restoring jaw defects due to teeth extractions, periodontal diseases, trauma, or outcomes from a previous surgery. This case report describes a patient suffering from Fibrous Dysplasia of the right upper maxilla surgically reconstructed by fibula free flap. In 2003, four dental implants were placed in the 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, and 1.6 areas. Twelve years later, the onset of peri-implantitis led to the failure of osseointegration with consequent thinning of the fibula flap. To avoid the risk of fracture and to restore the bone volumes necessary for a new implant-prosthetic rehabilitation, we used heterologous biomaterials in combination with a non-reabsorbable membrane, according to the Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) technique. GBR was performed using the Equimatrix® natural bone mineral matrix, Cytoplast™ Ti-150, a non-reabsorbable titanium-reinforced membrane, and four fastening screws to pin the membrane. After six months, the membrane was removed and two Zimmer® implants 3.7 × 13 mm were placed in the 1.1 and 1.2 areas. A fixed implant-supported prosthesis with a custom-milled titanium bar screwed to the implants was made. Computed tomography (CT) six months after GBR showed a good bone regeneration of 1.5 cm mesiodistal (MD), 1.8 cm buccopalatal (BP), and 2.8 cm in height. The main difficulty of this clinical case concerns the low predictability of success of GBR on a maxillary reconstructed area with a free fibula flap: there is no previous evidence in the literature. Clinical and radiographic exams nowadays show that there is no macroscopic bone reabsorption; however, further research is needed to obtain more information.

Aesthetic satisfaction in lip and palate clefts: a comparative study between secondary and tertiary bone grafting.

Lip and palate cleft represent one of the most frequently occurring congenital deformity, which includes dental anomalies, such as variation in tooth number and position. In case of hypodontia implant-prosthetic rehabilitation offers significant advantages in terms of function, aesthetics and quality of life and bone graft is usually needed. Secondary bone grafting, generally performed in the mixed dentition phase (years 8-11) seems to be the most successful method to allow for rehabilitation. It's often necessary to perform a tertiary bone grafting in adult age in order to achieve better bone quantity and quality before implant placement. Aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the aesthetic perception that patients had of themselves comparing dental implants placed in tertiary grafted alveolar cleft sites with a previous secondary grafting to only secondary grafting. Between 2009 and 2012, fourteen alveolar cleft were treated with implant rehabilitation and eleven of them received tertiary bone grafting six months prior to implant placement. All patients were questioned to give a score from 1 to 10 their aesthetic satisfaction of their smile before and after implant rehabilitation and during pre-surgery provisional rehabilitation. At the end of their prosthesis rehabilitation patients who received tertiary bone grafting resulted more satisfied than those who had secondary bone grafting only (9.5 vs 8).

Prosthetic rehabilitation involving the use of implants following a fibula free flap reconstruction in the treatment of Osteosarcoma of the maxilla: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Osteosarcoma is an aggressive primary bone tumor composed of connective tissue cells directly producing osteoid and bone. Prosthetic rehabilitations in post-oncological patients after bone reconstruction are not substantially different than those of patients affected by severe atrophy of upper or lower jaw after bone reconstruction. The treatment for patients with a malignant neoplasia of the oral cavity requires multidisciplinary approach by a team of different specialists that follow the patient through the phases of diagnosis, therapy and oral rehabilitation. Reconstructive surgery of jaws using vascularized free flap allows a significant gain of tissues that enables a successful final prosthetic rehabilitation. In fact main prosthetics difficulties result from lack of hard and soft tissues in affected area. Reconstructed patients have a greater ease of care management. CASE PRESENTATION: A 25-year-old Caucasian male was diagnosed with chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the pre-maxilla. The patient initially noticed the displacement of his maxillary incisors with progression into a definite swelling of the pre-maxillary a month later. Computerized Tomographic Scan and Radionuclide Bone Scan revealed the absence of both distant metastasis and regional nodal involvement. A biopsy and subsequent histopathology examination confirmed the lesion as being a chondroblastic type of osteosarcoma. The case study directed us to rehabilitate the patient by implant supported prosthesis consisting 3 different components: a titanium base screwed on implants, a titanium structure (primary structure) assembled on the base and a composite coatedstructure (secondary structure) that reproduced teeth and gum. At surgery, we proceeded placing 6 dental implants in 1.4, 1.3 1.2, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4 positions. Contextually was performed a bone graft using particulate bone and collagen membranes. CONCLUSIONS: Prosthetic rehabilitation in Maxillofacial Osteosarcoma treatment is an hard challenge for prosthodontist due to anatomic conditions of this kind of patients. Dental implants play a crucialrole in the therapy of patients affected by malignancies in the head-and-neck region. The goal of implant rehabilitationis to improve the quality of life of these patients by allowing proper retention of removable prostheses and a reduction in the load placed on vulnerable soft tissues. Today prosthetically guided rehabilitation represents the main rehabilitation protocol in prosthodontics, especially in those oncological patients with relevant lost of tissues and modified anatomy.

Pleomorphic adenoma rehabilitative treatment in growing up patient: a 20-years follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: Although tumors of minor salivary glands are rare, the pleomorphic adenoma is the most common pathology among the benign neoplasm and can be found with high prevalence in the junction between hard palate and soft palate. Most of the maxillary tumors are surgically treated through either a total or partial maxillectomy. However, surgical defects lead to both clinical and psychologic disorders for the patient. A postoperative obturator prosthesis is a good option in patients who underwent maxillectomy. It allows to restore both masticatory and speaking functions, as well as aesthetic appearance. When reconstruction of the surgical site is possible, an implant-supported prosthesis can be considered to guarantee a better function and aesthetic's rehabilitation. CASE REPORT: This clinical report presents the prosthetic rehabilitation of a patient who underwent maxillectomy because of a pleomorphic adenoma of hard palate minor salivary glands. The patient was treated with a palatal obturator prosthesis first and with an implant-supported prosthesis after surgical site's reconstruction and complete healing. CONCLUSIONS: The rehabilitation of the patient after maxillectomy through both these devices was an excellent option and provided clinical benefits, improving the patient's quality of life, allowing the patient's reinsertion into society.

Two clinical cases of prosthetical rehabilitation after a tumor of the upper maxilla.

The most frequent type of treatment for patients diagnosed with a malignant neoplasia of the oral cavity is surgical removal of the tumor. As a result of the resection performed, it is difficult to obtain satisfactory results in the oral rehabilitation of these patients. When possible, fixed prostheses are the best option, because they guarantee stability, but they should be made so that the operator can remove them periodically to check the health of the oral tissues underneath and to intercept any relapse of the tumor. This study analyses two cases of patients surgically treated for a tumor of the upper maxilla at the Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery of Sapienza University, in Rome. In the first case the surgical site was covered with local flaps, and the patient was rehabilitated with an implant-supported removable prosthesis. In the second case the maxilla was reconstructed with a fibula vascularized free flap, and the patient was rehabilitated with an implant-supported prosthesis screwed to a titanium bar solidarizing the implants. Therefore, this prosthesis was fixed, but could be removed by the dentist. The different approach to these two cases was influenced by the different anatomic situations after the reconstruction. It is important for the dentist to approach these patients knowing the kind of surgery they received because this aspect will influence rehabilitative choices. Rehabilitation should be planned, when possible, before surgical treatment, in order to cooperate with the maxillo-facial surgeon in choosing the most appropriate restorative treatment.