Oral cancer grows invasively and is a common malignancy that invades bone tissues. Mandibular involvement is a key aspect in the treatment and prognosis of oral cancer. The preservation of the mandible, an important functional organ, has attracted increasing attention. However, the procedures for mandible preservation and mandibulectomy are inconsistent among oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The discrepancies are primarily caused by the uncertainty of the exact patterns of bone invasion by oral cancers. This article reviews the present materials to explore the mechanisms involved in mandibular preservation and mandibulectomy in oral cancer treatment.
