Oral rehabilitation of patients after maxillectomy. A systematic review.

Patients who have maxillectomy can be rehabilitated with reconstructive surgery or obturator prostheses with or without osseointegratable implants. To identify studies on possible treatments in this group, we systematically searched the Scopus, Embase, PubMed/Medline, and Cochrane databases to collect data on patients' characteristics, radiotherapy, and results related to speech, swallowing, mastication or diet, chewing, aesthetics, and quality of life. Of the 1376 papers found, six were included, and one other was included after an additional search of references. A total of 252 patients were included, and of them, 86 had reconstructive surgery, 91 were treated with obturator prostheses, 39 had reconstructive surgery or obturator prostheses associated with implants, and 36 had reconstruction plus an obturator prosthesis. Data on radiotherapy were incomplete. There is a lack of consensus about the indication for rehabilitation, as the treatment must be based on the individual characteristics of each patient.

Are intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid effective for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders? A systematic review.

This systematic review aimed to investigate whether intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) are better than other drugs used in temporomandibular joint arthrocentesis, for the improvement of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms. Two independent reviewers performed an electronic search of the MEDLINE and Web of Science databases for relevant studies published in English up to March 2016. The key words used included a combination of 'hyaluronic acid', 'viscosupplementation', 'intra-articular injections', 'corticosteroids', or 'non steroidal anti inflammatory agents' with 'temporomandibular disorder'. Selected studies were randomized clinical trials and prospective or retrospective studies that primarily investigated the application of HA injections compared to other intra-articular medications for the treatment of TMD. The initial screening yielded 523 articles. After evaluation of the titles and abstracts, eight were selected. Full texts of these articles were accessed and all fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Intra-articular injections of HA are beneficial in improving the pain and/or functional symptoms of TMDs. However, other drug therapies, such as corticosteroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug injections, can be used with satisfactory results. Well-designed clinical studies are necessary to identify an adequate protocol, the number of sessions needed, and the appropriate molecular weight of HA for use.