Reconstruction of Mandible: A Fully Digital Workflow From Visualized Iliac Bone Grafting to Implant Restoration

Abstract

Purpose: Although digital aids can help surgeons compensate for the shortcomings of traditional mandibular reconstruction techniques to perform surgery more precisely and effectively, the use of these digital techniques has often been fragmented, divided, and incomplete. This article describes the workflow of a fully digital mandibular reconstruction to explore the proper indications and discusses innovations based on the accuracy and effectiveness of digital techniques.

Materials and methods: A restoration-oriented mandibular reconstruction was performed by applying different digital techniques. Preoperative virtual surgery and rapid prototyping were used to aid the vascularized iliac bone graft surgery, which offered a solid basis for the ensuing treatment. Subsequently, implant rehabilitation was accomplished with the assistance of computer-assisted design and manufacture, laser treatment, and selective laser melting techniques.

Result: The workflow of the fully digital mandibular reconstruction successfully achieved a restoration-oriented treatment. These predictable, accurate, and effective digital techniques improved the consistency of pretreatment design and follow-up treatment. The treatment sequence achieved high predictability and reproducibility owing to the use of digital techniques.

Conclusion: This study shows that a digital workflow can be predictable, accurate, and effective, which suggests that it could be a valid digital protocol for developing a treatment sequence for patients with jaw defects caused by trauma, congenital anomalies, or mandibular tumor resection.