RESUMEN
The quality of life (QOL) in patients with cancer in the head and neck regions has become an increasingly important factor in medical treatment. We examined the effect of a prosthesis on the QOL based on the patients' own subjective evaluations. Sixty-eight head and neck cancer patients who had been treated in the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry of the Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University, were compared with 35 denture wearers as a control. General denture satisfaction in the control group showed a statistical correlation with eating (P<0.01, t-test; rho = 0.72, Spearman rank correlation), aesthetic satisfaction (P<0.01, rho = 0.57) and pain (P<0.01, rho = 0.51). On the other hand, for cancer patients, general denture satisfaction showed a statistical correlation with not only eating (P<0.01, rho = 0.34), aesthetic satisfaction (P<0.01, rho = 0.33) and pain (P<0.01, rho = 0.41) but also health (P<0.01, rho = 0.33) and mental well-being (P<0.01, rho = 0.41). A statistical correlation between the Denture score and the QOL score was thus observed in cancer patients (P<0.0001, rho = 0.56), while the correlation for the control group was not statistically significant. This study showed that oral prostheses for head and neck cancer patients are important factors not only for eating but also for the overall patient QOL.
Asunto(s)
Dentadura Completa/psicología , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/rehabilitación , Calidad de Vida , Adaptación Psicológica , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Distribución de Chi-Cuadrado , Comunicación , Ingestión de Alimentos , Estética Dental , Dolor Facial/psicología , Femenino , Estado de Salud , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Satisfacción del Paciente , Factores Sexuales , Habla , Estadísticas no Paramétricas , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
A two-dimensional, finite element method was used to examine the influence of material selection and suprabony exposure of the implant coating on thermal and mechanical stress distribution. Hydroxyapatite coating reduced the heat conduction to the surrounding tissue because of its low thermal conductivity. However, thermal stress resulted from thermal expansion of the hydroxyapatite and titanium core. This might influence the success of hydroxyapatite-coated implants because the biomechanical properties of ceramics are so poor for tensile and shearing stress. In addition, this tendency becomes more pronounced when the hydroxyapatite coating surface extends beyond the cortical bone.
