Bone-anchored craniofacial prosthesis study.

A prospective study involving 24 centers and 145 patients was conducted to evaluate the long-term osseointegration survival rate for titanium implants anchoring a craniofacial prosthesis (auricular, orbital, or nasal) and to evaluate the long-term retention and stability of the prosthesis. Of 452 implants placed, 19 were lost (overall survival rate of 96%). Of the 145 patients, 115 were evaluated (remained active) throughout the study period and were followed-up for at least 30 months. The results of the study suggest that the bone-anchored craniofacial prosthesis system is a viable alternative to conventional reconstructive surgery and offers significant improvement in the quality of life when compared with the support systems previously available for these types of prostheses.