TOTAL MANDIBULAR DEFECT RECONSTRUCTION BY TOTAL TITANIUM PATIENT-SPECIFIC IMPLANT: CLINICAL EFFICACY AND LONG TERM FOLLOW UP. CLINICAL CASE

The aim of this clinical case in demonstrating the possibility of replacing total defect of the mandible with a patient specific implant and the result of long-term follow up. Literature data on the replacement of total mandibular defects are extremely limited and they are presented by only several clinical cases where various surgical approaches were used. In the available literature, there are two approaches to solving this problem, including the replacement of the jaw with vascularised bone grafts, of which the fibula flap is the most promising, and the implantation of endoprostheses of the jaws, of which patient-specific anatomical endoprostheses made using additive technologies are the most advanced. The concept of using patient-specific endoprostheses of the whole mandible is considered revolutionary because it has a number of significant benefits, including the greatest accuracy in restoring the anatomical shape of the mandible. One of the unresolved problems associated with the installation of total mandibular endoprostheses is the prosthetic rehabilitation of patients using fixed structures. The analysis of the presented case can be a good tool for the clinician and bioengineer while making the final decision on the treatment method and modality in patients who need an identical option for the repair of a mandibular defect. Based on CT data, we can conclude that the employed approach, methodology of design and manufacture of patient-specific titanium mandibular endoprosthesis for the total defect demonstrated the sufficient efficacy, which suggest the need for further systematic studies to address this issue.