RESUMEN
Placing dental implants in microvascular bone free flaps used for reconstructing the mandible or maxilla has been previously reported. However, there is scarce information available on the restorative protocol using short dental implants placed in a deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) microvascular free flap and the rationale behind it. This case report describes a 18-year-old patient referred to the hospital for numbness and dull pain of the left mandible, which she observed for three months. The patient underwent mandible resection and reconstruction using the DCIA free flap due to "giant cell lesion" on the left side of the mandibular angle. Short dental implants were placed and prosthetic reconstruction of the dentition involved in the resection was performed in a young patient with two integrated abutment crowns. The placement of short dental implants did not negatively affect the vascular pedicle and vitality of free flap. In our case report, two years after the healing, excellent aesthetic and function were accomplished with the DCIA flap followed by restoration with short implants.
RESUMEN
There is limited information regarding implant and prosthetic survival after osseous microvascular free flap (OMFF). This case series aims to describe the placement of short and extra short implants in osseous microvascular free flaps to support prostheses, and present an up to 40-month retrospective follow-up. Short and extra short dental implants were placed in six fibula free flaps (FFF) and in two microvascular deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) flaps. In total, 27 short and extra short dental implants have been placed into two different types of free flaps. Kaplan-Meyer (K-M) survival analyses were performed to evaluate the survival and success outcomes of implants and prostheses. Out of the eight patients reconstructed with free flap, five were rehabilitated with prostheses, one patient has a temporary prosthesis, and two patients are in the process of prosthetic rehabilitation. Twenty-seven implants were followed up for up to 40 months, and K-M analyses showed 100% implant survival probability (95% confidence interval: 100%), while the implant success probability was 91.0% (95% confidence interval: 68.6-97.7%). Short and extra short dental implants placed in OMFF presented high survival and success rates in a retrospective case series after up to 40 months.