Tongue Function after Ablative Surgery of the Symphyseal Region of the Mandible for the Treatment of Ameloblastomas in Tanzanian Patients

Abstract

A technique is described to reconstruct the symphyseal part of the mandible after a segmental resection because of ameloblastoma, while special attention was paid to fix the digastric and genioglossal muscles, so as to allow for normal tongue function. Twenty-two patients were followed for an average period of 30 months and all of them had normal tongue function and were able to swallow without problems.