Analysis of Dental Implant Rehabilitation in the Reconstructed Jaw by Deep Circumflex Iliac Artery Flap, a Retrospective Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical results of the implant rehabilitation for a jaw reconstructed by the deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) flap. A total of 13 patients were included in this study from 2010 to 2020. Medical records were collected retrospectively and analyzed. The mandible was involved in 10 cases and the maxilla was in 3 cases. The average width of the DCIA flap was 8.6 mm, and the height was 20.65 mm. A total of 41 dental implants with a diameter of 3.9–5.0 mm and a length of 10.0–11.5 mm were placed at an average of 12.3 months after the reconstruction. The average follow-up period after delivering a permanent prosthesis was 15 months (range, 2 to 51 months) and the overall mean follow-up period was 48 months. In all, 3 implants of the total 41 implants were removed. The DCIA flap is the most suitable for reproducing the original contour of the original jawbone compared with the fibular flap. In addition, the height and width of the reconstructed bone is appropriate for implant placement, which is advantageous for the rehabilitation of oral function and aesthetics using the implant.

Keywords

• maxilla-mandibular reconstruction
• dental implant
• deep circumflex iliac artery flap
• microsurgical free flaps
• bone resorption