Prosthetic rehabilitation by obturator considering the biomechanics in partially edentulous patient after maxillectomy

Abstract

Patients who went through maxillectomy can have severely impaired swallowing, mastication, and pronunciation functions because of palatal defects. Leakage occurs through the nasal cavity while eating, chewing becomes difficult due to the loss of teeth and alveolar ridges, and oral and nasal passages are not separated, leading to hyper-nasal sound, and significantly reducing the quality of life. To prosthetically reconstruct the defect, the weight of the obturator should be reduced as much as possible to minimize dropout because of gravity, and the bulb of the obturator should be properly extended into the defect to get additional retention and stability. In this case of a partially edentulous patient who underwent additional maxillary resection because of tumor recurrence, a metal framework was designed by applying the basic design principles of removable partial dentures. An obturator with improved retention, stability, and support was fabricated through functional impressions. The patient was satisfied with the improved facial expression, mastication, swallowing, and pronunciation, and showed stable occlusion and oral hygiene management during the follow-up period. (J Dent Rehabil Appl Sci 2021;37(4):281-93)