Influences of Size and Form of Maxillectomy Defect, and Remaining Maxillary Teeth on Oral Functions of Patients Receiving Prosthetic Therapy with Obturator

Abstract

Background: Maxillectomy defect causes an oro-nasal opening affecting oral functions; inability to chew and swallow disorders in phonation, aesthetics and psychological depression of patients. Obturator prosthesis can result improvement in oral functions by re-establishing oro-nasal separation. Objectives: The study was done to investigate the effects of maxillary defect form, size, and remaining maxillary teeth on oral functions in post-maxillectomy patients. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted over 16 post-maxillectomy patients, age (mean±SD = 37.56±13.07 years) ranged from 18 to 70 years, male 9(56.20%) and female 7(43.80%), partially dentate, treated with obturator prosthesis at the prosthodontic department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. All patients had continuously worn the obturator prostheses for at least 3 months during the study. Data of each patient were recorded on the basis of size and form of maxillary defect, and remaining maxillary teeth, and mastication, speech and swallowing. The data were tested with statistical software (SPSS V.19). Results: Form and size of the maxillectomy defect has significant relationship with the masticatory performance (P= .007 for defect form & .003 for defect size) and articulation of speech (P= .003 for defect form & 0.001 for defect size). Remaining maxillary teeth has no significant relation to masticatory performance (P = .66) and articulation of speech (P = .386). Form and size of the maxillectomy defect, and remaining maxillary teeth has no significant relationship with the swallowing obturator function (P-value= .13 for defect form .09 for defect size and .49 for remaining teeth). Conclusion: Size and form of maxillary defect significantly influence the masticatory performace and articulation of speech, they also affect in swallowing efficacy but it is not statistically significant. Remaining maxillary dentition has not significant effects on oral function of obturator.