Abstract
Background: Surgical procedures for tumors of the paranasal sinus, palatal epithelium, minor salivary glands or osteosarcoma of theupper jaw require a partial or total maxillectomy of the upper jaw. When the surgical procedure and/or radiation therapy result in acommunication, the solution is necessarily prosthetical, through a palatal obturator that recreates a partition between the oral andnasal cavities.Methods: Authors selected 32 post-oncological patients with the upper maxilla completely edentulous prosthetically rehabilitatedwith a palatal obturator.Results: No serious complications or adverse reactions were reported during the fabrication of surgical or definitive obturators. Allpatients stated to benefit the palatal obturator in terms of quality of life.Conclusion: Prosthetic rehabilitation of edentulous maxillectomy with oral communication is a demanding challenge for theprosthodontist. The goals of prosthetic rehabilitation include separation of oral and nasal cavities to allow adequate deglutition andarticulation of teeth, restore midfacial soft tissue contour and a satisfactory esthetic outcome. When, for any reason, the patient is nota suitable candidate for an implant-retained overdenture, a total removable prosthesis should ensure the most comfort in terms ofswallowing, phonation and aesthetics.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call