English

Abstract

BACKGROUND The primary goal of a medical team for managing patients suffering from tertiary disease (cancer) is to eliminate the disease or to remove the underlying pathology. Also, restoration along with rehabilitation of the defect to boost the confidence and self-esteem of the patients must be done. Rehabilitation usually is considered as a part of prosthodontics i.e., maxillofacial prosthodontics. But the scope of maxillofacial prosthodontics as a specialty does not find recognition amongst the multidisciplinary medical team in dealing with maxillofacial defects. The objective of the study was to evaluate the awareness and knowledge of the maxillofacial prosthodontics amongst medical practitioners in and around Wardha city. METHODS A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire. The validated questionnaire contained 14 questions, of which 13 were awareness based, and 1 was attitude based. It included relevant photographs. 219 medical practitioners working either in hospitals attached to educational institutes or private sector participated in the study. RESULTS The study reveals the percentage of medical practitioners who are aware about maxillofacial prosthodontics branch. Only 10.9 % were aware about maxillofacial prosthodontics as a branch of dentistry which deals with the restoration of maxillofacial defects. CONCLUSIONS The survey points towards a need to conduct awareness activities to make the medical practitioners aware of this fact. This will hopefully increase the patient’s referral with such defects to a maxillofacial prosthodontists or can include a maxillofacial prosthodontist as a part of multidisciplinary team that could benefit the patient for complete rehabilitation. KEY WORDS Prosthesis, Trauma, Defects, Rehabilitation