To clinically evaluate hyperplasia around dental implants placed at the grafted site after tumour resection and secondary irradiation.
Methods:
Forty cancer patients had tumour ressected and reconstructed with free vascularised flaps. One hundred and fifty- three implants were placed and examined in Deep Circumflex Iliac Artery free vascularised, Radial Forearm Flap or Fibula Grafts. Data was collected for presence of peri-implant soft tissue hyperplasia around the dental implants after irradiation.
Results:
Peri-implant hyperplasia was observed in 15 patients with no irradiation and 14 patients had no hyperplasia. In irradiation 9 had no hyperplasia and 2 had hyperplasia.
Fifty-nine implants in non irradiated site had no hyperplasia and 47 implants sites had hyperplasia.
Conclusions:
Peri-implant hyperplasia was found to be a common finding around implants in vascularised flaps used for post cancer reconstruction. This effect was lost in therapeutic radiation fields.