IMPLANT RECONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF TUMORS OF THE HEAD AND NECK (REPRINTED FROM ND-MAXILLOFACIAL-SURGERY-CLINICS-OF-NORTH-AMERICA, VOL 9, 1997)

Functional maxillofacial rehabilitation following tumor ablation depen ds on many variables. These include the magnitude of hard or soft tiss ue defects, the use of adjunctive chemotherapy or radiation therapy, a nd the presence of underlying systemic disease. The physiologic effect s of tumor ablation and radiation therapy on local tissues and grafted bone are discussed in this article in relation to the ultimate use of implant supported prostheses. Cases are presented to illustrate a var iety of clinical situations.