Non Surgical Correction of Mandibular Deviation and Neuromuscular Coordination after Two years of Mandibular Guidance Therapy: A Case Report.

Carcinomas of the mandible may require resection of a segment of bone (continuity defect), partial removal of bone (discontinuity defect), tongue, and floor of the mouth and muscle attachments. Patients undergoing such treatment suffer from facial disfigurement, loss of muscle function, loss of neuromuscular coordination resulting in inability to masticate and swallow acceptably. Surgical reconstruction may not always be possible because of high reoccurrence rate, inability of the patient to cope with another surgery etc. The treatment of choice in non surgical cases is prosthetic rehabilitation using guiding flange prosthesis. This article describes the management of a patient who had undergone hemimandibulectomy and was not willing for a surgical reconstruction. Interim maxillary ramp prosthesis was given to the patient 15 days postoperatively followed by definitive guiding flange prosthesis for two years after which the patient was able to occlude in centric occlusal position without any aid.