Mouth opening after fibula free flap reconstruction
Originally at sciencedirect.com
Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
Prosthodontists and maxillofacial prosthodontic teams should anticipate restricted mouth opening in fibula-free-flap patients who receive adjuvant radiation, because trismus directly limits prosthetic rehabilitation options and may require modified treatment sequencing or alternative prostheses.
Key points
- Study published online 6 October 2026 in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry quantifies mouth-opening changes after fibula free-flap reconstruction.
- Post-operative radiation therapy is identified as a key variable that further reduces maximum inter-incisal opening.
- Reduced opening complicates conventional denture fabrication, implant placement, and maintenance of oral hygiene in the reconstructed mandible.
- Findings allow prosthodontic teams to counsel patients pre-operatively and plan for earlier or non-conventional prosthetic interventions.
Who should care
Read the original on Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry (JPD)
Full reporting and any paywall content live on sciencedirect.com. We summarize and score; we do not republish.
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