Hessloehl N, Collart-Dutilleul PY, Romieu O, Carayon D. Functional and aesthetic oral rehabilitation after cancer treatment using dental prosthesis and hyaluronic acid injections: A case report and review of literature. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(2): 110627 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i2.110627]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Pierre-Yves Collart-Dutilleul, PhD, DDS, Professor, Laboratory Bioengineering and Nanosciences, University of Montpellier, 545 Avenue du Professeur Jean-Louis Viala, Montpellier 34000, Occitanie, France. pierre-yves.collart-dutilleul@umontpellier.fr
Research Domain of This Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
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Case Report
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Jan 16, 2026 (publication date) through Jan 23, 2026
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Publication Name
World Journal of Clinical Cases
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2307-8960
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Hessloehl N, Collart-Dutilleul PY, Romieu O, Carayon D. Functional and aesthetic oral rehabilitation after cancer treatment using dental prosthesis and hyaluronic acid injections: A case report and review of literature. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(2): 110627 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i2.110627]
World J Clin Cases. Jan 16, 2026; 14(2): 110627 Published online Jan 16, 2026. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i2.110627
Functional and aesthetic oral rehabilitation after cancer treatment using dental prosthesis and hyaluronic acid injections: A case report and review of literature
Nadège Hessloehl, Pierre-Yves Collart-Dutilleul, Olivier Romieu, Delphine Carayon, Department of Odontology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier 34000, Occitanie, France
Pierre-Yves Collart-Dutilleul, Olivier Romieu, Delphine Carayon, Laboratory Bioengineering and Nanosciences, University of Montpellier, Montpellier 34000, Occitanie, France
Co-first authors: Nadège Hessloehl and Pierre-Yves Collart-Dutilleul.
Author contributions: Hessloehl N and Collart-Dutilleul P contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-first authors. Hessloehl N followed the patient during the whole process of rehabilitation, taking care of conservative dental treatments and prosthetic rehabilitation, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript; Collart-Dutilleul P, Romieu O, and Carayon D revised the manuscript; Collart-Dutilleul P made the hyaluronic acid injections, corrected and edited the manuscript; Romieu O supervised all the dental treatments; Carayon D supervised prosthetic rehabilitation, was the main responsible for patient care and follow-up.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for the publication of this case report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Pierre-Yves Collart-Dutilleul, PhD, DDS, Professor, Laboratory Bioengineering and Nanosciences, University of Montpellier, 545 Avenue du Professeur Jean-Louis Viala, Montpellier 34000, Occitanie, France. pierre-yves.collart-dutilleul@umontpellier.fr
Received: June 11, 2025 Revised: July 21, 2025 Accepted: December 22, 2025 Published online: January 16, 2026 Processing time: 219 Days and 16.7 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Oral cavity cancers are highly invasive malignancies, typically treated with a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Surgical intervention requires the removal of all affected tissues, including the mandibular basal bone. Reconstructive procedures may involve tissue and skin grafts, such as fibula free flaps in the case of mandibulectomy. These techniques aim to minimize scarring and restore basic oral functions. However, radiation therapy may result in fibrotic scarring of the connective tissues. This case report focuses on the integration of surgical, prosthetic, and complementary therapies - including hyaluronic acid (HA) -based filler - to address both functional and aesthetic deficiencies.
CASE SUMMARY
The case involves a 70-year-old woman who underwent a right segmental mandibulectomy with fibula free flap reconstruction for pT4aN2b oral squamous cell carcinoma, followed by adjuvant radiochemotherapy. After surgery, she presented to the Odontology Department of Montpellier University Hospital with severe trismus, impaired mastication, and aesthetic concerns, including marked facial atrophy and asymmetry of the face and mouth. The multidisciplinary approach included fluoride trays to address radiotherapy-induced risks, caries treatment, a mandibular partial removable prosthesis for occlusal and soft tissue support, occlusal bonding, and HA injections to restore facial symmetry and improve soft tissue quality. HA was injected into the fibrotic connective tissue to improve skin hydration and counterbalance the asymmetry of the mouth. The combination of prosthetic rehabilitation and HA injections led to significant functional and aesthetic improvements, with a notable positive impact on the patient’s sociability and quality of life.
CONCLUSION
This case highlights how a multidisciplinary, comprehensive, personalized, and biopsychosocial approach can optimize outcomes in complex oral rehabilitation following oncological surgery.
Core Tip: This case highlights the full oral rehabilitation of a patient who underwent segmental mandibulectomy with fibula free flap reconstruction for advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma. A multidisciplinary approach was employed to address trismus, masticatory dysfunction, and aesthetic deficits, combining custom-made dentures, fluoride trays, and hyaluronic acid injections. Hyaluronic acid contributed to improving facial symmetry and reducing scarring, enhancing the patient’s quality of life. This case underscores the importance of innovative, patient-centered dental interventions in managing complex post-surgical complications and demonstrates a practical, reproducible approach applicable to similar clinical scenarios.
