Spontaneous bone regeneration in segmental mandibular defects: A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Regenerative Medicine
• Bone Healing

Background:

• Segmental mandibular defects significantly impact mastication and facial aesthetics.
• Spontaneous bone regeneration offers a potential alternative to traditional rehabilitation methods.
• Understanding the factors influencing natural bone healing is crucial for treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential of spontaneous bone regeneration in treating segmental mandibular defects.
• To identify patient and surgical factors associated with successful natural bone healing.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed across major biomedical databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Wiley, Cochrane).
• Eligible studies were critically appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist.
• Data from 35 studies involving 60 patients were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Spontaneous bone regeneration was observed in 88.3% of patients following segmental mandibulectomy.
• Younger patients with intact periosteum and stabilized mandibular stumps showed better regeneration outcomes.
• Bone healing occurred even without stump stabilization in some cases, though recovery time was longer.

Conclusions:

• Spontaneous bone regeneration is a viable possibility for segmental mandibular defects.
• Optimal outcomes are associated with patient age, periosteal preservation, and rigid fixation of the mandibular stump.
• Further research can explore optimizing conditions for enhanced spontaneous bone healing.