Dentures and Dental Implants in Treating Patients Undergoing Surgery for Mouth Cancer

OBJECTIVES: * Determine whether conventional or implant supported dental prostheses and current surgical reconstructive procedures restore oral function and quality of life to pre-cancer surgery levels in patients with early oral cancer. OUTLINE: Patients complete a series of objective and subjective functional tests, questionnaires, and baseline examinations. Within 1-5 days, patients undergo the composite resection, including reconstructive surgery for the mandibulectomy group. Patients in the maxillectomy group receive an immediate maxillary surgical obturator. Approximately 6 weeks after ablative surgery, some patients receive radiotherapy for 5-7 weeks. Patients receive 2-4 implants at 12-16 weeks after completion of radiotherapy or 8-16 weeks after ablative surgery. Patients then receive conventional dentures at 4-22 weeks after implant surgery. Implants are exposed during 27-48 weeks after placement and abutments connected for fabricating dental prostheses. Approximately 8 weeks are needed to fabricate the implant supported prosthesis. Patients complete quality of life and other questionnaires prior to and at 8-21 weeks after surgery, 16 weeks after conventional denture insertion, and then 16 weeks after implant supported prosthesis insertion. Patients are followed every 6 months for at least 3 years. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 62 patients (22 requiring maxillectomy and 40 requiring mandibulectomy) will be accrued for this study within 42 months.