Application of digital surgical techniques in mandibular reconstruction

The mandible is the most important bony support in the lower 1/3 skeleton of the face which is critical for both esthetics and function. Mandibular defects, resulting from tumor resection, can cause severe functional and cosmetic deformities. Nowadays, vascularized bony tissue transfer such as free fibula flap has been widely used for mandibular reconstruction. However, traditional mandibular reconstruction based on clinical experience may hawe some problems in accuracy and efficiency because of lacking individualized design. In recent years, digital surgical techniques such as computer-aided design, rapid prototyping and surgical navigation have been used for mandibular reconstruction surgery. Accurate design for tumor resection as well as individualized design for mandibular reconstruction can be performed with computer preoperatively which help to turn the virtual plan into reality by using surgical guide or navigation. Many studies suggested that digital surgical techniques could significantly improve the clinical outcome of mandibular reconstruction. In this article, we summarized the application of digital surgical techniques for mandibular reconstruction based on our own experience and literatures review.