Aim. To assess quality of life and speech after rehabilitation with implant-retained dental prosthesis in head and neck cancer patients. Material and Methods. Twenty-six patients who were diagnosed with tumour of the maxilla and mandible were selected for rehabilitation with implant-retained dental prosthesis following resection and reconstructive surgery. They were evaluated for quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30 and H-N35 questionnaires, version 3), speech, and swallowing (questionnaire and Dr. Speech software, version 4) before implant treatment and at six-, twelve-, and eighteen-month followup. Statistical analysis of quality of life, speech, and swallowing for different duration of their preoperative status was done. Quality of life, speech, and swallowing in grafted and native groups and radiated and nonradiated groups were also compared. Results. Quality of life was statistically significant in scale of pain, speech, and trouble with social eating, pain killers, and weight loss. It was insignificant when radiated and nonradiated or grafted and native jaw groups were compared. Improvement in movement of the tongue, swallowing ability, salivation taste, and intelligibility of speech was also observed. Conclusion. The surgical treatment of head and neck cancers with microvascular surgery and dental rehabilitation with implants restores function, esthetics, and patient’s well-being. 1. Introduction Improvement in the treatment of head and neck cancer patients has increased the survival rate. The rehabilitation of these survivors to enhance their functions, esthetics, and sense of well being is the primary goal after control of the disease. Osseointegrated implants enable dental rehabilitation in patients treated for tumors of the maxillae and mandibles contributing to quality of life, speech, and swallowing [1–3]. However, oral rehabilitation in this group of patients with compromised oral physiology and biology, following ablative surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy has always been a challenge. All of these have a direct effect on the retention, stability, and support of a dental prosthesis. Reduction and alteration of the saliva following radiation is a deterrent factor for dentition and dental rehabilitation, speech, mastication swallowing, and deglutition [4, 5]. After radical surgery for oral and oropharyngeal cancers it was observed that 63.8% of patients had speech problems and 75.4% had swallowing problems [6]. The evaluation of quality of life and performance outcomes in cancer patients is therefore critical to optimal patient care. The aim of
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