Prosthetic rehabilitation involving the use of implants following a fibula free flap reconstruction in the treatment of Osteosarcoma of the maxilla: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Osteosarcoma is an aggressive primary bone tumor composed of connective tissue cells directly producing osteoid and bone. Prosthetic rehabilitations in post-oncological patients after bone reconstruction are not substantially different than those of patients affected by severe atrophy of upper or lower jaw after bone reconstruction. The treatment for patients with a malignant neoplasia of the oral cavity requires multidisciplinary approach by a team of different specialists that follow the patient through the phases of diagnosis, therapy and oral rehabilitation. Reconstructive surgery of jaws using vascularized free flap allows a significant gain of tissues that enables a successful final prosthetic rehabilitation. In fact main prosthetics difficulties result from lack of hard and soft tissues in affected area. Reconstructed patients have a greater ease of care management.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 25-year-old Caucasian male was diagnosed with chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the pre-maxilla. The patient initially noticed the displacement of his maxillary incisors with progression into a definite swelling of the pre-maxillary a month later. Computerized Tomographic Scan and Radionuclide Bone Scan revealed the absence of both distant metastasis and regional nodal involvement. A biopsy and subsequent histopathology examination confirmed the lesion as being a chondroblastic type of osteosarcoma. The case study directed us to rehabilitate the patient by implant supported prosthesis consisting 3 different components: a titanium base screwed on implants, a titanium structure (primary structure) assembled on the base and a composite coatedstructure (secondary structure) that reproduced teeth and gum. At surgery, we proceeded placing 6 dental implants in 1.4, 1.3 1.2, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4 positions. Contextually was performed a bone graft using particulate bone and collagen membranes.

CONCLUSIONS: Prosthetic rehabilitation in Maxillofacial Osteosarcoma treatment is an hard challenge for prosthodontist due to anatomic conditions of this kind of patients. Dental implants play a crucialrole in the therapy of patients affected by malignancies in the head-and-neck region. The goal of implant rehabilitationis to improve the quality of life of these patients by allowing proper retention of removable prostheses and a reduction in the load placed on vulnerable soft tissues. Today prosthetically guided rehabilitation represents the main rehabilitation protocol in prosthodontics, especially in those oncological patients with relevant lost of tissues and modified anatomy.