RECONSTRUCTION OF A LARGE MANDIBLE DEFECT UTILIZING A FULL-THICKNESS VASCULARIZED CALVARIAL BONE-GRAFT

Historically, mandibular reconstruction has always been a challenging problem. Various methods have been used including alloplasts such as s tainless steel and titanium plates, trays filled with bone fragments, vascularized and non-vascularized bone grafts [1, 2]. Most meth ods ha ve had variable success until the advent of microsurgical techniques. With the high success rate now obtainable utilizing free tissue transf er, mandible reconstruction has become a procedure with a more predict able outcome and most other reconstructive methods have now been aband oned. In spite of this, clinical situations do arise, such as with the case presented, where for one reason or another, microvascular techni ques are either not available, not applicable or have failed. A case o f mandibular reconstruction using a vascularized full-thickness calvar ial bone graft is presented in which the end result was very satisfact ory, both aesthetically and functionally.