Primary reconstruction of the mandible after excision of large benign lesions

Small benign lesions occurring in the mandible, such as dental cysts or adamantinoma, are treated adequately by the dental surgeon using an intraoral approach and curettage (Brånemark et al., 1975). However, larger and recurrent lesions are better treated via the submandibular route (Boyne, 1969). After lesion clearance, the bone gap in the mandible needs to be bridged properly to avoid disabling functional and cosmetic results. This paper describes a modified conventional method of reconstruction which is simple and effective and gives excellent long-term results.