Implant prosthetic rehabilitation of posterior mandible after tumor ablation with inferior alveolar nerve mobilization and inlay bone grafting: a case report.

PURPOSE: To report a successful clinical case of dental implant provisionalization of a posterior mandible resected for tumor ablation and subsequently reconstructed with interpositional bone grafting after mobilization of the inferior alveolar nerve.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A 47-year-old woman with a severe posterior mandibular defect due to ablation of a squamous cell carcinoma was treated with transposition of the inferior alveolar nerve and inlay iliac bone graft. Four months later, 4 dental implants were inserted and immediately provisionalized. Bone core biopsies were taken during implant insertion. After an additional 3 months, a definitive fixed bridge was inserted.

RESULTS

At the 24-month follow-up visit, all implants appeared to have osseointegrated. The histologic examination showed that the grafted bone was lined by newly formed bone without gaps at the interface.

CONCLUSIONS

Inlay bone grafting can allow implant provisonalization of the posterior mandible even with a remarkable bone alveolar deficit after tumor ablation.