title: Psychosocial and quality of life outcomes of prosthetic auricular rehabilitation with CAD/CAM technology.
abstract: Introduction. The psychosocial and quality of life (QoL) of patients with deformed or missing ears are frequently compromised. The aim of this study is to develop innovative techniques using CAD/CAM technology in prosthetic auricular rehabilitation and provide improvement in the treatment outcomes, including their psychology and QoL. Methods. This is a preliminary clinical cohort study. Six patients requesting for auricular reconstruction were recruited and rehabilitated with implant-supported prosthesis using CAD/CAM technology. Different treatment outcomes including QoL and psychological changes were assessed at different time points. Results. A significant reduction in severity of depressive symptoms (P = 0.038) and an improving trend of satisfaction with life were found at 1 year postoperatively when compared with the preoperative findings. The domain scores in ''Body image", ''Family/friends/strangers", and ''Mood" were also significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 1 year postoperatively than 1 week postoperatively. However, only 50% of the patients wear their auricular prosthesis regularly. Conclusion. This preliminary study has confirmed that implant-supported auricular prosthesis could induce improvement in the psychology and QoL with statistically significant differences in the domains of the body image, social interaction, and mood. Our present findings can inform research design and hypotheses generation of future studies.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Chi Keung
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Colman Patrick
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Samuel Mun Yin
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Edmond Ho Nang
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Pow
authors.affiliation: Dental Technology, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Henry Wai Kuen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Lim Kwong
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Cheung