Prosthesis for Mandibular Defects

Mandible is the U shape bone that gets articulated with the skull with the help of two joints. The bone plays an important part and is involved in motion whenever the mouth is opened or slid from one to other side. Mandibles bear teeth and play an important role in giving structure to our mouth. Any defect to the mandible bone may force the doctor to correct, reconstruct or remove the entire mandible and replace it with a new one.

The mandible defects are categorised into three major categories such as defects involving Ramus / Condyle, defects involving Lateral Mandible and defects involving Anterior Mandible. These defects can be eliminated using prosthesis and prosthetic treatment are selected based on the severity of the defect and the affected parts.

The different methods used in mandible reconstruction are given below

• Reconstruction using vascularised bone – This is done in defects involving anterior Mandible or defects involving lateral Mandible.
• Reconstruction with plates
• Reconstruction using Non Vascularised bone grafts ( NBGs)
• Reconstruction using Flaps like Fibula Flap, Iliac crest Osteocutaneous Flap, Scapular Free Osteocutaneous flap and
• Radial Forearm Osteocutaneous Flap.
• Reconstruction using Osseointegrated Implants

One among the abpove or a combination of different methods are used during the prosthesis treatment. There are many recent advance in this field and the prosthesis has becomee ven more easy and credible.

Authored By Dr.C.M.Bejoy Mony, M.D.S.