Seven‑year follow‑up of spontaneous bone regeneration following segmental mandibulectomy: Alternative option for mandibular reconstruction

Abstract

Bone formation in small deposits following the loss of part of the mandible has often been reported
in the literature, but the long‑term follow‑up reports of bone regeneration extending over the
mandible are rare. Even rarer, are reports on the behavior of such new bone in terms of facial
development, over a long period and the effect of load on it. A unique case of bone regeneration after
resection of a large portion of the mandible in a 9‑year‑old male patient with myxofibrosarcoma in
the body of the mandible is presented here. Intermaxillary fixation and insertion of reconstruction
plate after resection without continuity defect were employed. Spontaneous bone regeneration was
noted 8 weeks after surgery, and the resected portion of the mandible was regenerated when the
patient was seen again 7 years later. Mandibular growth was not significantly affected and almost
7 years after his treatment, without relapsing of pathologic condition, the shape of the mandible is
satisfactory without any evidence of bone resorption.
Key Words: Bone regeneration, follow‑up, spontaneous