Use of Porous Implants for the Prosthetic Rehabilitation of Fibula Free Flap Reconstructed Patients.

Vascularized free flaps represent today the gold standard in Maxillo-Facial reconstructive treatment of the upper and lower compromised maxillas.The aim of this study is to perform the advantages and disadvantages of the vascularized fibula free flap and the available rehabilitation options with porous implants.In this study the authors analyzed 45 patients with 211 inserted implants treated and reconstructed with vascularized fibula flaps. The authors compared the use of 103 titanium tapered implants (with micro rough surface) versus 108 tantalum-titanium porous implants to evaluate the bone reabsorption and implant survival. Immediate implant stability, the peri-implant reabsorption, and the survival were evaluated. The follow-up was after 3, 6, 12, and 24 months.The authors found that for the 108 Zimmer TM they had an average bone loss of 1 mm ± 0.2 mm after 1 year of follow-up, compared with the other implants where the average bone loss was 2.27 mm ± 0.4.This study demonstrated that the problems caused by different fibula flaps level, compared with the mandibula or, with adjacent teeth in the maxilla, can be solved using TM porous implants that almost duplicate the fixture surface and guarantees long life prognosis to the authors' prosthetic devices.

Evaluation of Highly Porous Dental Implants in Postablative Oral and Maxillofacial Cancer Patients: A Prospective Pilot Clinical Case Series Report.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of new porous tantalum trabecular metal (PTTM)-enhanced titanium dental implants used for the prosthodontic rehabilitation of postablative cancer patients. First-year interim results of a prospective clinical case series are presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 25 PTTM-enhanced titanium implants were placed in both maxillas and mandibles of 6 patients, who met specific inclusion criteria. Resonance frequency analysis was conducted, and implant stability was recorded in Implant Stability Quotient (ISQ) values at implant placement and after 2, 4, 6, and 12 months of functional loading. Bone levels were calculated by digitally measuring the distance from the implant shoulder to the first bone-to-implant on periapical radiographs taken at surgery and after 2, 4, 6, and 12 months of functioning. RESULTS: Cumulative implant survival was 100% (n = 25/25). At implant placement and the 2-, 4-, 6- and 12-month monitoring appointments, mean ISQ values were 72.14 ± 5.61 (range = 50-81), 64.39 ± 8.12 (range = 44-74), 74.26 ± 7.14 (range = 44-74), 76.84 ± 7.65 (range = 60-83), and 78.13 ± 4.14 (range = 64-84), respectively, and mean crestal marginal bone loss was 0.19 ± 0.25, 0.22 ± 0.4, 0.3 ± 0.46, and 0.57 ± 0.62 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PTTM-enhanced dental implants were clinically effective in the prosthetic rehabilitation of postoncological patients. Larger long-term follow-up studies will help to evaluate clinical efficacy of PTTM dental implants.

Maxillofacial Prosthesis in Dentofacial Traumas: A Retrospective Clinical Study and Introduction of New Classification Method.

Background. Maxillofacial trauma represents a field of common interest as regards both the maxillofacial surgery and prosthodontics, especially for the functional and aesthetic stomatognathic rehabilitation. This condition necessitates relationship between maxillofacial surgeon and prosthodontist, to achieve the ultimate treatment goal. Purpose. The purpose of this study is to make predictable patients outcomes classifying their clinical data, using certain parameters and introducing a new classification method. Materials and Methods. We have chosen 7 parameters to classify the entity of the damage of these patients and to make their treatment and their prognosis predictable: number of teeth lost (T1-T4), upper/lower maxilla (U/L), alveolar/basal bone (Alv/B), gingival tissues (G), soft tissues (S), adult/child (a/c), and reconstructed patient (R). Results and Conclusions. The multidisciplinary approach and the collaboration between multiple clinical figures are therefore critical for the success of the treatment of these patients. The presence and quantification of above parameters influence the treatment protocol; patients undergo different levels of treatment depending on the measured data. The recognition of certain clinical parameters is fundamental to frame diagnosis and successful treatment planning.

Retrospective review of 78 rehabilitated head and neck postoncological patients: a new classification method.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have been published about the prosthetic rehabilitation of the postoncological maxillo-facial patient, but the guidelines that emerge lack a correlation between the anatomical classification of the treated site, which generally is preparatory upon surgery, and the type of prosthetic rehabilitation appropriate to the new anatomical and functional condition. With this correlation, it would be possible to obtain a multidisciplinary and predictable therapeutic process, able to identify from the beginning the best type of prosthetic rehabilitation. METHODS: The authors analyzed a sample of 78 patients treated in the Maxillofacial Surgery Unit of "Sapienza" University of Rome for a tumor of the head and neck area, and at a later stage prosthetically rehabilitated in the years from 2010 to 2013 in the Prosthetic Rehabilitation Unit of the same University because of the consequences of the ablative surgery. After having analyzed data concerning the treatment of the maxillofacial tumor, Authors classified the kind of prosthetic rehabilitation. Removable prosthesis was chosen in 18 cases, while implant (or teeth)-supported rehabilitation was performed in 60 cases. RESULTS: Authors correlated the kind of surgical reconstruction to the prosthetic rehabilitation performed. In the maxilla removable prosthesis was chosen in 8 cases, while implant supported rehabilitation was performed in 18 cases. In the mandible 10 cases were rehabilitated through a removable prosthesis and 42 through a teeth or implant supported prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: It is evident the need to perform a careful evaluation of the patient, in order to identify the best possible prosthetic rehabilitation.

Clinical evaluation with 18 months follow-up of new PTTM enhanced dental implants in maxillo-facial post-oncological patients.

AIM: The aim of this study is to present 18 months follow-up results of porous tantalum trabecular metal-enhanced titanium dental implant (PTTM) in implant supported prosthesis in post-oncological patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 25 PTTM implants were placed in each jaw of 6 patients that met specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Resonance Frequency Analysis (RFA) was conducted and Implant stability was recorded in ISQ values (Osstell ISQ, Osstell AB, Goteborg, Sweden) at implant placement and after 2,4,6,12 and 18 months of functional loading. Mean bone loss was also evaluated at the same interval of time on each periapical radiographs, bone levels were calculated by measuring the distance from the implant shoulder to the first bone to implant contact. RESULTS: Cumulative implant survival rate is 100% (n=25/25) to date and mean ISQ values recorded were: 72.14±5.61 (range= 50-81) at surgery, 64.39±8.12 (range=44-74) after 2 months, 74.26±7.14 (range=44-74) after 4 months, 76.84±7.65 (range=60-83) after 6 months, 78.13±4.14 (range=64-84) after 12 months and 80.22±6.23 (range=68-89) after 18 months of functional loading. Mean crestal marginal bone loss was 0.19±0.25 mm after 2 months of functional loading on periapical radiographs, 0.22±0.4 mm at 4 months, 0.3±0.46 mm at 6 months, 0.57±0.62 at 1 year and 0.64±0.60 mm after 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study, even if limited by the number of implants placed indicate that PTTM dental implants have a clinical efficacy in prosthetic rehabilitation of post-oncological patients, due to trabecular structure of the porous Ta metal that increases bone-implant connection values.