[The impact of oral occlusal exercises on occlusal performance of oral cancer patients following segmental mandibulectomy without simultaneous reconstruction].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of oral occlusion exercises on occlusal performance of oral cancer patients who underwent segmental mandibular resection without simultaneous reconstruction.

METHODS

From October 2022 to May 2023, a total of 63 oral cancer patients who underwent segmental mandibular resection without reconstruction at the Department of Oromaxillofacial Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were selected. They were randomly divided into control group (30 patients) and experimental group (33 patients). The control group received conventional care, while the experimental group underwent oral occlusion exercises except conventional care. After three months, the maximum total occlusal force(TOF), asymmetry index of occlusal force(AOF), center of occlusal force(COF), and mastication efficiency of both groups were compared. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 software package.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, TOF in the experimental group was increased, AOF and COF were decreased, and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.01). The masticatory efficiency of the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group(P＜0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Oral occlusal exercises can improve occlusal performance in patients with mandibular resection without reconstruction, but larger sample size and rigorous design are needed to further verify its clinical effect and mechanism.