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A custom made extraoral aid for retaining interim obturator in edentulous patients with bilateral maxillectomy: A report of four patients
Author(s) -
Dhiman Mohit,
Shastry Tejomay,
Bhandari Sudhir,
Singh Sombir,
Verma Sanjeev
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
special care in dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.328
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1754-4505
pISSN - 0275-1879
DOI - 10.1111/scd.12386
Subject(s) - medicine , prosthodontist , dentistry , prosthesis , palatal obturator , interim , rehabilitation , orthodontics , physical therapy , surgery , archaeology , history
It is a considerable challenge for a prosthodontist to rehabilitate and sustain the prosthesis in edentulous patients with bilateral maxillectomy. Compelling evidence is lacking with respect to the treatment outcome when the maxillary defects are closed surgically in comparison to their prosthetic rehabilitation. Four edentulous male patients, with bilateral maxillectomy defects were referred for prosthodontic intervention to meet their nutritional and speech issues. In the absence of intra oral supporting and retentive structures, it was decided to retain the obturator utilizing extraoral aid to address their functional needs. Customized headgear face‐bow retained obturators were adequately retentive and did serve its purpose well in all four patients. It also gave the liberty to alter retention and refine the prosthesis at will, provided access to the operated site for a quick evaluation of disease recurrence, and was economical to the patients. Considering the encouraging outcome experienced in this special category of individuals, it would be reasonable to believe that the headgear face‐bow assembly has an immense potential to function as a valuable, prudent, and a viable retentive aid for a non‐implant retained obturator in edentulous patients with extensive maxillary defect.