“Jaw-in-a-day”

Computer-aided surgical planning has transformed reconstruction of complex oral cavity defects by integrating imaging, virtual planning, and precision-guided execution to restore bone, soft tissue, and dentition in a single operative session. High-resolution CT and intraoral scans provide a three-dimensional map of the defect and the remaining anatomy. Using specialized software, Dr. Hadford and our team at the University of Missouri Health Care and @MizzouENT can virtually reconstruct the mandible or maxilla, plan osteotomies, design bone segment positioning, and determine optimal implant locations and prosthetic contours before ever stepping into the operating room. This virtual rehearsal reduces intraoperative guesswork and shortens operative time.
Patient-specific cutting guides and fixation plates, produced by rapid manufacturing technologies, translate the virtual plan into exact surgical movements. These guides ensure bone resection and graft or free flap inset follow the preplanned geometry, enabling accurate restoration of occlusion and facial contour. When dental rehabilitation is part of the reconstruction, custom surgical guides are used to place dental implants in the precise angulation and depth determined during planning, allowing immediate provisionalization or same-day tooth replacement in many cases. The result is a coordinated bony, soft-tissue, and dental reconstruction accomplished with predictable alignment.
For patients who have lost oral structures from cancer resection, severe infection, or traumatic injury, this state-of-the-art approach supports both functional and aesthetic outcomes. Restoring jaw continuity and stable occlusion is essential for speech, swallowing, mastication, and facial symmetry. Computer-assisted planning minimizes the need for multiple staged surgeries by enabling simultaneous transfer of vascularized bone (such as a fibula free flap), tailored soft-tissue components, and dental implants in a single operation. This one-day reconstruction reduces overall recovery time, lowers cumulative anesthetic exposure, and can accelerate return to oral function and quality of life.
Beyond immediate technical advantages, the digital workflow enhances multidisciplinary coordination. Head and neck surgeons, reconstructive microsurgeons, prosthodontists, and biomedical engineers collaborate during virtual planning sessions to align oncologic margins, reconstructive goals, and prosthetic outcomes. The ability to simulate outcomes and communicate exact plans improves patient counseling and surgical consent. As manufacturing and imaging technologies advance, computer-aided planning continues to push reconstructive boundaries, offering increasingly precise and personalized solutions for patients facing the devastating consequences of cancer, infection, or trauma.