Benefits of dental implants installed during ablative tumour surgery in oral cancer patients: a prospective 5-year clinical trial

• Published in: Clinical oral implants research Vol. 21; no. 9; pp. 971 - 979
• Main Authors: Korfage, Anke, Schoen, Pieter J., Raghoebar, Gerry M., Roodenburg, Jan L. N., Vissink, Arjan, Reintsema, Harry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2010
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - radiotherapy; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - surgery; Dental Implantation, Endosseous; Dental Implants; Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; Dental Restoration Failure; Dentistry; Denture Retention; Denture, Overlay; edentulous mandible; endosseous implants; Esthetics, Dental; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gingival Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Gingival Neoplasms - surgery; head and neck neoplasms; Humans; Jaw, Edentulous - rehabilitation; Jaw, Edentulous - surgery; Male; Mandible - radiation effects; Mandible - surgery; Mandibular Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Mandibular Neoplasms - surgery; Mastication - physiology; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Mouth Neoplasms - surgery; Patient Satisfaction; patients' satisfaction; Periodontal Index; Prospective Studies; prosthodontics; Quality of Life; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Survival Analysis; Tongue Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Tongue Neoplasms - surgery; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0905-7161; 1600-0501
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0501.2010.01930.x

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. Materials and 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. To cite this article: 
Korfage A, Schoen PJ, Raghoebar GM, Roodenburg JLN, Vissink A, Reintsema H. Benefits of dental implants installed during ablative tumour surgery in oral cancer patients: a prospective 5‐year clinical trial.
Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 971–979.
doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2010.01930.x