Prosthetic rehabilitation of intraoral defects in patients with rhino-orbital-cerebral-mucormycosis: A systematic review.

Aim: This study aimed to systematically review the frequency and type of intraoral prosthetic rehabilitation in patients with rhino-orbital-cerebral-mucormycosis (ROCM).

Settings and design: Systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Materials and methods: An electronic search was conducted in databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Case reports that documented prosthetic rehabilitation following surgery in patients with ROCM were included. This review was registered under the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42021262284. Assessment of the quality of the included studies was done using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case reports, which comprised of an eight-item checklist. The recorded observations were organized and subjected to analysis.

Statistical analysis used: Qualitative analysis was used.

Results: Among the 25 case reports, type IId defect was the most common. Three types of prosthetic treatments were rendered, with the obturator being the most common choice of rehabilitation, followed by implant-retained obturator overdenture and fixed implant-supported prosthesis. Patients undergoing implant-based rehabilitation exhibited a 100% survival rate for implants, with follow-up periods spanning from 6 months to 3 years. No prosthetic complications were reported in any of the included case reports.

Conclusions: The prevailing defect type identified was IId (48%), while the treatment of choice most frequently employed was an obturator (84%). However, with limited evidence available at present, further research is required to draw more definitive conclusions.