Benefits of dental implants installed during ablative tumour surgery in oral cancer patients: a prospective 5-year clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
This prospective study assessed treatment outcome and patient satisfaction of oral cancer patients with a mandibular overdenture on implants up to 5 years after treatment.


METHODS
At baseline, 50 consecutive edentulous oral cancer patients, in whom prosthetic problems were expected after oncological treatment, were evaluated by standardized questionnaires and clinical assessments. All implants were installed during ablative tumour surgery in native bone in the interforaminal area. About two-thirds of the patients (n=31) had radiotherapy post-surgery (dose >40 Gy in the interforaminal area).


RESULTS
At the 5-year evaluation, 26 patients had passed away and four patients had to be excluded from the analyses, because superstructures were not present, due to persistent local irritation (n=2), loss of three implants (n=1) and the impossibility of making an overdenture related to tumour and oncological surgery-driven anatomical limitations (n=1). In the remaining 20 patients, the prosthesis was still in function (76 implants). During the 5-year follow-up, total 14 implants were lost, 13 in irradiated bone (survival rate 89.4%, dose >40 Gy) and one in non-irradiated bone (survival rate 98.6%). Peri-implant tissues had a healthy appearance and remained healthy over time. Patients were satisfied with their dentures.


CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that oral cancer patients can benefit from implants installed during ablative surgery, with a high survival rate of the implants, a high percentage of rehabilitated patients and a high denture satisfaction up to 5 years after treatment.
Korfage
Anke
A
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Maxillofacial Prosthetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Schoen
Pieter J
PJ
Raghoebar
Gerry M
GM
Roodenburg
Jan L N
JL
Vissink
Arjan
A
Reintsema
Harry
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003781:Denture Retention; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010512:Periodontal Index; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015921:Dental Implants