PROSTHETIC-SURGICAL COLLABORATIONS IN THE REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK DEFECTS

Resection of head and neck tumors often results in severe facial disfi gurement and functional disabilities. Superior rehabilitation efforts rely on close collaboration between the resection surgeon, reconstruct ive surgeon, and the maxillofacial prosthodontist. Trauma patients are best rehabilitated surgically, whereas patients with head and neck tu mors are best rehabilitated prosthetically in combination with specifi c surgical reconstruction procedures. This article describes these mod ifications. Surgical advancements such as microvascular free flaps and endosseous implants have greatly enhanced rehabilitative efforts.