Published online Oct 16, 2017. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v5.i10.384
Peer-review started: May 24, 2017
First decision: July 11, 2017
Revised: July 27, 2017
Accepted: August 2, 2017
Article in press: August 3, 2017
Published online: October 16, 2017
Processing time: 142 Days and 19.2 Hours
Surgical resection of mandible owing to benign, malignant neoplasm, osteoradionecrosis is common. The resection can be total or segmental depending on the lesion. Loss of mandibular continuity causes deviation of remaining mandibular segment towards the resected side and rotation inferiorly due to muscle pull and scar contracture affecting mastication and esthetics. Surgical reconstruction may not be always possible. Prosthetic rehabilitation plays a major role in these patients. This case series describes different types of guiding flange (GF) prosthesis with modifications for three hemimandibulectomy patients at different time interval after surgery. The article details GF prosthesis combined with physiotherapy to correct deviation of mandible thereby improving mastication, esthetics and speech and thus enhancing the quality of life.
Core tip: Mandible is a significant structure in lower third of face constituting to esthetics and functions like speech, swallowing and mastication. Surgical resection owing to various reasons disrupts these functions. Both form and function should be considered in rehabilitating hemimandibulectomy patients. This article describes prosthetic rehabilitation that comprises of different types of guiding flange prosthesis with modifications for three hemimandibulectomy patients at different time interval after surgery.