Reconstruction of the mandible using alumina ceramics

As mandibular resection causes several kinds of oral dysfunction, mandibular reconstruction is necessary for the restoration of the continuity or augmentation of the contour of the mandible.Recently numerous materials were developed as bone substitutes, which contributed to the advances of oral and maxillofacial surgery.Of these materials alumina ceramics have proper physical properties, chemical resistivity, and good biocompatibility.We applied alumina ceramics for reconstruction of the mandible in ten cases. Among six cases for ameloblastoma four cases attained satisfactory results. The remainder including irradiated cases had problems such as infection, exposure of ceramics, or fixation device loosening.Clinical results, complications, and prospects of alumina ceramics are discussed in this paper.