Computer-aided Ｍandible Reconstruction: the Beginning Experience
LIU, Yi-Ching
Yunlin Branch
National Taiwan University
Hospital
Computer aided system, such as
computer-assisted virtual planning, CAD-CAM surgical guides, provides preview
of anatomic details in the operation, prediction the cutting line, the inset
bone segments in three dimensional pictures and solid models, which make
operation easier, safer, and more accurate. Nowadays, computer-aided systems
are commonly used in orthognathic surgery, open reduction of traumatic facial
bone fractures, and reconstruction after benign tumor resection. These powerful
tools also joint oral maxillofacial surgeon, plastic surgeon, prosthodontics,
orthodontics, and engineer technicians together, to build a better treatment
result for patients.
Yunlin county has the highest oral cancer prevalence
in Taiwan. Patients had their partial mandible resected in conventional
surgical methods sometimes suffered from inadequate facial esthetics, malocclusion
or mandible side shift. Dentures or dental implant rehabilitation is extremely
difficult due to unsatisfied grafted bone position or size. Application of
virtual planning and CAD-CAM guide on malignant tumor cases, though, it is
still worth a try, to make patients live better after surgery. A case will be
presented, which computer-aided mandible resection and reconstruction was performed
on an oral cancer patient. With this experience, we defined that flexibility of
section margin while tumor progression, reduced preparation time, better
adaptation of surgical guides, and better soft tissue management are important
future works.
