Primary treatment of mandibular ameloblastoma with segmental resection and free fibula reconstruction: achieving satisfactory outcomes with low implant-prosthetic rehabilitation uptake.

Ameloblastoma is a locally aggressive and disfiguring oral cavity tumour and surgical management is the mainstay of treatment. The ideal management of ameloblastoma should minimise recurrence, restore function and appearance and present minimal donor site morbidity. Conservative management is associated with minimal downtime but high recurrence rates. By contrast, segmental mandibulectomy with appropriate margins have much lower recurrence rates but presents the challenge of reconstruction. Osseointegrated (OI) implants and permanent dental prosthesis, while ideal, are not always available. We conducted a retrospective review on 30 consecutive patients at our centre with unicystic and multicystic ameloblastoma who were treated with segmental mandibular resection and free fibula flap reconstruction. Only three patients underwent OI implant insertion, with 40% of the patients not receiving any form of dental rehabilitation. We performed a functional and aesthetic outcome survey to determine patient satisfaction with this form of treatment. At an average follow-up of 5 years, there were no recurrences of tumour in our population. Of the 26 patients who responded to the survey, 96% of the patients reported that they were satisfied with their appearance, 88% reported an absolutely normal diet and 93% of the patients reported no problems with donor site function. Overall, we found that low uptake of dental rehabilitation did not adversely affect patient satisfaction and outcomes.