Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39760761›Full record

SynthesisClinical oral investigations2025

Oral health and rehabilitation in face transplant recipients - a systematic review.

Leonard Knoedler, Martin Kauke-Navarro, Samuel Knoedler, Tobias Niederegger, Elena Hofmann, Max Heiland, Steffen Koerdt, Susanne Nahles, Helena Baecher

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical oral investigations, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Leonard KnoedlerDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany. leonard.knoedler@charite.de.
Martin Kauke-NavarroDepartment of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Samuel KnoedlerDepartment of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Tobias NiedereggerDepartment of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Elena HofmannDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
Max HeilandDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
Steffen KoerdtDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
Susanne NahlesDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
Helena BaecherDepartment of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFacial transplantation (FT) provides advanced solutions for severe facial defects by incorporating complex tissues such as bone, skin, oral mucosa and nerves. Oral health plays a critical role in FT, impacting both functional outcomes and transplant prognosis. Despite its importance, literature on oral health in FT recipients remains sparse.

methodsThis systematic review adhered to PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CENTRAL for studies on oral health in FT patients up to August 4, 2024. Eligible studies were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Level of Evidence (LOE). Data extracted included study design, general information on FT, patient demographics, oral examination techniques, and outcomes.

resultsOut of 6,984 articles reviewed, 19 met the inclusion criteria, all consisting of case reports or case series involving 48 FT cases. Of these, 25 cases provided relevant oral health and rehabilitation data. All studies showed a LOE of IV, with an average NOS score of 4.3 ± 0.5. Most FT cases involved male recipients (n = 20, 80%), while the majority of FTs were conducted in the United States (n = 10, 40%) and France (n = 7, 28%). Oral mucosa biopsy was the most common examination method (n = 11, 44%). Malocclusion was reported in 48% (n = 12) of cases, with revision surgeries occurring in 36% (n = 9). Post-FT dental treatments included tooth extractions (n = 7, 28%), fillings (n = 3, 12%), and endodontic treatments (n = 2, 8%). Dental implants were placed in 32% (n = 8) of cases, with one case (4%) reporting failed osseointegration.

conclusionRoutine oral health assessments are essential for FT patients to prevent complications and improve clinical outcomes. However, there is a lack of high-quality research on oral health in FT recipients, underscoring the need for further studies to establish standardized care protocols. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This review emphasizes the urgent need for standardized oral health protocols in FT patients to minimize infection risks and optimize long-term transplant success and overall patient health.

Indexed as

Facial TransplantationOral HealthHumansFace transplantationOral healthOral rehabilitationVascularized composite allotransplantationVCA

Identifiers

PMID39760761
PMCPMC11703954

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.