Implant-Based Prosthetic Reconstruction in Patients with Congenital Ear Defects (Technical Note)

Background and aims: Loss of all or part of the ear is one of the significant defects in the head and neck area (regardless of the cause) that can result from trauma, cancer, congenital diseases, or surgery to remove benign tumors. These defects can be reconstructed with the help of surgical procedures or cosmetic prostheses. However, due to the complex structure of the ear, reconstructive surgery is one of the challenging surgeries for plastic surgeons. Choosing between surgical methods and prosthesis use is problematic for those with a significant lesion and depends on the etiology and the patient's wishes. If the patient is a candidate for a silicone ear prosthesis, the most critical challenge is the suspension and ease of using the prosthesis. The conventional suspension method (the use of unique adhesive) will present several challenges to the patient. Thus, we report using the implant suspension method for an ear prosthesis in this study. Method: In this study, a 35-year-old male patient with congenital ear defect and no history of prosthesis use was referred to the Dentistry School of Shahid Beheshti University and was studied to make an ear prosthesis based on an implant. To make a prosthesis, general steps performed include alginate molding from both healthy and involved parts of the patient, alginate molding from the donor, positive wax mold making, negative gypsum mold making, silicone casting, and prosthesis attachment using implants on the patient's stamp. Discussion and Conclusion:In this method, we used silicone and implant-based reconstruction of ear defects. An attempt has been made to provide ease of wearing and removing the prosthesis, proper grip, natural appearance, and finally, patient satisfaction.