Abstract
Dental implants play an important role in postoperative rehabilitation after surgical treatment of oral cancer through the provision of prosthetic tooth replacement. Two major implant prosthesis designs are available: fixed implant-supported prostheses and implant-supported overdentures. We herein report a case of a 16-year-old female patient who underwent alveolar ridge resection for treatment of mandibular gingival carcinoma. Following surgery, oral rehabilitation was attempted using an implant-supported overdenture on a gold bar retainer splinting four implants. However, the patient was not satisfied with this prosthesis because of mucosal pain and discomfort, and she gradually ceased its use. Consequently, contact with the opposing teeth caused wear of the prosthetic screws. We elected to replace the implant-supported overdenture with an implant-fixed prosthesis approximately 16 years after insertion of the overdenture to prevent further wear of the prosthetic screws. The patient was highly satisfied with the improved stability of the implant-fixed prosthesis. This case report indicates that the clinician must occasionally re-evaluate and sometimes alter the direction of treatment, even after definitive therapy has been completed.
Highlights
Surgical treatment of oral cancer may lead to significant disability, including facial deformity, loss of hard and soft tissue, and impaired function of speech, swallowing, and mastication [1]
Dental implants are useful to improve the stability and support of a prosthesis, and dental implants have recently gained an important role in the rehabilitation of patients with oral cancer by facilitating the provision of a stable prosthesis [1]
The purpose of this paper is to present a case report of dental implant placement in a 17-year-old female patient after marginal mandibulectomy for treatment of Takaoka et al International Journal of Implant Dentistry (2015) 1:20 mandibular gingival carcinoma, subsequent prosthodontic treatment, and an almost 22-year follow-up after dental implant placement
Summary
Surgical treatment of oral cancer may lead to significant disability, including facial deformity, loss of hard and soft tissue, and impaired function of speech, swallowing, and mastication [1]. Dental implants are useful to improve the stability and support of a prosthesis, and dental implants have recently gained an important role in the rehabilitation of patients with oral cancer by facilitating the provision of a stable prosthesis [1]. Case presentation A 16-year-old female patient developed slight tenderness of the gingiva in the left mandibular premolar region, and her dentist referred her to our clinic in April 1992. Oral examination showed erythematous granular swellings that bled on the alveolar gingiva involving the area extending from the right second premolar to the left second molar (Fig. 1). Radiographic examination showed notable alveolar bone resorption in the left mandibular premolar region and slight resorption in the right mandibular canine region (Fig. 2). Two courses of postoperative chemotherapy were performed to prevent local recurrence and distant metastasis
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