Patients who have cancer that requires surgery on their jaw now have an option that streamlines what was traditionally a lengthy and complex reconstruction process into one comprehensive procedure.
With the innovative “Jaw in a Day” surgery, surgeons can combine tumor removal and jaw reconstruction with the placement of dental implants — all on the same day. This restores not only the patient’s function the day of their surgery, but also his or her appearance.
“With this surgery, patients can expect much better appearance and daily function than what's been traditionally accepted from head and neck surgery,” says Beomjune Kim, D.M.D., M.D., F.A.C.S., a head and neck oncology and microvascular surgeon who performs the Jaw in a Day procedure at City of Hope® Cancer Center Atlanta. “It improves the quality of life for patients considerably.”
In this article, we’ll explore:
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer and is looking for an initial appointment or a second opinion, call us 24/7 at 877-524-4673.
What Is Jaw in a Day Surgery?
Because the jaw anchors the teeth, patients who have jawbone surgery for head and neck cancer or aggressive benign tumors usually lose their teeth in the process. That can lead to challenges with chewing and speaking — not to mention significant changes to their physical appearance.
Before the Jaw in a Day procedure, patients who needed surgery on their jawbone faced a challenging reconstructive course that typically involved multiple procedures and several months — often, between six to 12 months — before they were fitted with prosthetic, or artificial, teeth.
With Jaw in a Day, the surgeon fits the patient with prosthetic teeth and dental implants during the same procedure, after removing the tumor and any affected part of the jawbone — and at the same time as they remove part of the patient’s fibula (the smaller of the two bones in the lower leg) to construct a new jawbone.
This all-in-one procedure is possible because of virtual surgical planning, which allows the surgeon to map out the surgery in advance — including the fitting of a dental implant and prosthetic teeth that align with the patient’s natural teeth. When the surgeon harvests the section of fibula for the jawbone, he or she outfits the bone with dental posts and prosthetic teeth before moving it to the jaw.
Once the fibula is in place along the jaw, the surgeon connects blood vessels to the bone and tissue and ensures it fits with any remaining bone or teeth.
The Impact on Quality of Life
Although Jaw in a Day surgery can take up to 12 hours, it has a high success rate, and patients tend to tolerate it well, Dr. Kim says, noting they usually don’t complain of pain.
Also, patients are typically up and walking the next day with the help of physical therapy. About a week later, they’re starting speech therapy.
It takes about three months for the piece of fibula used for the reconstructed jawbone to fuse with the remaining bone and completely restore function — allowing the patient to chew and eat solid foods again — but providing patients with teeth the same day benefits them immensely psychologically, Dr. Kim says.
Still, because it’s such an extensive procedure, people who are older or who have numerous medical conditions may not be good candidates for Jaw in a Day surgery, he says. And although the surgery has been in use for over a decade, it’s only available at a few centers in the country due to the expertise it requires.
“I can’t imagine what patients who need jaw reconstruction go through,” Dr. Kim says. “It can be devastating. This procedure is definitely life-changing, and we’re proud to provide it to our patients.”
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer and is looking for an initial appointment or a second opinion, call us 24/7 at 877-524-4673.