A simple technique to fabricate a surgical obturator restoring the defect in original anatomical form

Oral cancer treatment involves the surgical removal of all or part of the maxilla, leaving the patient with a defect that compromises the integrity and function of the oral cavity. The postoperative restoration of esthetics, deglutition, and speech shortens recovery time in the hospital and expedites the patient's return to the community as a functioning member. The surgical obturator is the proven treatment option in such situations. This article describes a simple technique to fabricate a surgical obturator that restores patient's original dentition and facial and palatal tissue form. The obturator fabricated with this technique utilizes the vacuum formed index of patient's original tissue form and duplicated partly in heat and partly in auto polymerizing acrylic resin. Duplication of the original tissue form helps patient to minimize the immense physiological trauma immediately after the surgical resection. The obturator fabricated with this technique supports soft tissues after surgery and minimizes scar contracture and disfigurement, and thus may have a positive effect on the patients' psychology.     

Upper lip prosthesis retained to a palatal obturator

In cases of total or partial maxillectomies, the prosthetic rehabilitation is an effective alternative to minimize the sequelae left by surgical resection. The present study reports a clinical case of a 52-year-old patient who underwent partial maxillectomy, with upper lip involvement. The oronasal communication, resultant from surgical resection, did not allow the patient to return to her normal social life. Besides, the upper lip partial resection damaged her face's aesthetics. The proposed treatment was the confection of an upper lip prosthesis retained by a palatal obturator. The prosthesis insertion restored the patient's facial aesthetics, contributing not only to function, but also to psychosocial adaptation.     

Rehabilitation of a Bilateral Maxillectomy Patient with a Free Fibula Osteocutaneous Flap and with an Implant‐Retained Obturator: A Clinical Report

A 47‐year‐old man underwent surgical resection and reconstruction with a fibula osteocutaneous flap. After the surgery, a surgical obturator was placed and adjusted. After flap healing, a conventional obturator was fabricated with polymethyl methacrylate resin and retained by the anatomical undercuts around the reconstructed fibula bone flap and the posterior part of the defect. As the defect shape changed with time, a second conventional obturator was fabricated and fitted. No further recurrence of myoepithelioma was observed for 2 years, and the patient was satisfied with the obturator during mastication and speech; however, despite having no major complaints, the patient found it difficult to chew on the right side, and the obturator was displaced slightly downward when the mouth was opened wide and shifted when chewing hard and sticky food. Thus, an implant‐retained obturator was suggested to provide better retention and stability. Four dental implants were therefore placed into the fibula bone, although one did not osseointegrate because either primary stability was insufficient or overload was affected in the nonloaded implant environment and was replaced. After fitting custom abutments with a magnet, an implant‐retained obturator was placed, and the patient was satisfied with the outcome. During 3 years of follow‐up, no issues were noted with the implant bodies, abutments, obturator, or reconstructed site. The conventional obturator was displaced slightly downward when the patient opened his mouth wide, and it shifted when chewing hard and sticky food because there was limited fibula bone at the reconstruction site and more available posteriorly. For better retention and stability, the implant‐retained obturator was fabricated with a custom abutment and magnetic retention. The patient was satisfied with the results, as improved implant retention increased the stability of the prosthesis. This clinical report describes the rehabilitation of a bilateral maxillectomy patient with a free fibula osteocutaneous flap and an implant‐retained obturator. The patient's oral functions were improved when the prosthesis was stabilized by means of dental implants and custom abutments.     

Medical treatment of central giant cell granuloma of the jaws

Central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) is a benign intraosseous lesion of the jaws that is found predominantly in children and young adults. The lesion appears mostly in the mandible and presents as a unilocular or multilocular radiolucent defect. Although it is benign, it may be locally aggressive, causing extensive bone destruction, tooth displacement and root resorption. Two variants of the lesion, non-aggressive and aggressive, have been described. Traditionally, CGCG was treated surgically with aggressive curettage and peripheral ostectomy. The more aggressive type or recurrent lesions require wide resection, that lead to major defects in the jaws. This form of surgical treatment could be particularly disfiguring for a child or young adult. An alternative, non-surgical approach, was developed during the past several years. The present review describes several medical treatments available for CGCG that have been reported in the literature, such as corticosteroids, calcitonin and Interferon Alfa-2a. These alternatives are advantageous for large aggressive lesions in order to cure, or reduce the size of the lesion and thus minimize the need for extensive surgical resection that could result in functional and esthetic deficits.     

Rehabilitation of an extraoral and intraoral defect complicated with microstomia. A study case

A 72-year-old man was referred from the surgery department for rehabilitation following surgical resection of Basaloid carcinoma. The first surgical intervention involved the anterior palatal region and was restored with a simple obturator. Two years later further surgery was undertaken to excise a recurrent tumor in the nose and part of the cheek. This resulted in an exposed nasal cavity and maxillary sinus. In addition, there was a small oral aperture composed of thin tissue that stretched to its maximum due to scar formation. The defect was restored with a full thickness skin flap but it subsequently broke down leaving the midface exposed with limited mouth opening due to tissue contraction and scar formation after the flap operation. The defect was rehabilitated with Co-Cr obturator intraorally and a silicone nose retained to the naso-palatal extension of the obturator by a magnet extraorally. This resulted in practically good retention, placement, and adaptation of the two parts of the prosthesis.     

Intralesional corticosteroid injection for treatment of central giant-cell granuloma

BACKGROUND: The central giant cell granuloma, or CGCG, is a benign intraosseous lesion of the jaw. It is found predominantly in children and young adults. It is an asymptomatic lesion, which often becomes evident on routine radiographic examination. Giant cell lesions have been described as both nonaggressive and aggressive in nature, with recurrence noted in cases of aggressive lesions. Central giant cell lesions present as unilocular or multilocular radiolucent defects on radiographs. Multinucleated giant cells within a collagenous stroma are the characteristic histopathologic feature of CGCG. CASE DESCRIPTION: The authors describe a 10-year-old girl with an expansile lesion of the mandible. The panoramic radiograph showed a well-circumscribed mixed radiolucent-radiopaque lesion of the left mandibular body. An incisional biopsy of the lesion was performed to establish a histologic diagnosis. The specimen was submitted for frozen-section examination, and a diagnosis of CGCG was made. Serum calcium, parathyroid hormone and phosphorous levels were normal. The patient was treated successfully with intralesional corticosteroid injections. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Central giant cell lesions have been treated surgically with aggressive curettage. More aggressive and recurrent lesions require resection, which leads to major defects of the jaws. This form of surgical treatment can be particularly disfiguring for a child or young adult. An alternative nonsurgical approach is the intralesional administration of corticosteroids, which have been effective in the treatment of CGCG. If a dentist suspects a patient may have CGCG, he or she should refer the patient to an oral surgeon for follow-up.     

Rehabilitation of a bilateral maxillectomy patient with a free fibula osteocutaneous flap

Rehabilitation of patients who have undergone bilateral maxillectomy is difficult because of extensive loss of bone and soft tissue. In this clinical report, prosthodontic rehabilitation of oral function in a bilateral maxillecitomy patient combined with a new fibular osteocutaneous flap, which was designed to have two oronasal slits for the retention of an obturator prosthesis, was described. A 58-year-old man with a maxillary alveolar carcinoma underwent bilateral maxillectomy. The defect was reconstructed using a vascularized fibular bone wrapped circumferentially with a peroneal flap, which was fixed with miniplates between the right malar prominence and cut edge of the left zygoma remaining two slits anterior and posterior to the graft. Two and half weeks after the surgery, a delayed surgical obturator was delivered and an obturator prosthesis was delivered 6 weeks after the surgery. This obturator prosthesis could be extended into the slits to engage the tissue undercuts, and was stable during use. Mastication, deglutition, articulation and the mid-facial profile of the patient were rehabilitated. After installation of the obturator prosthesis, relining of the prosthesis base was carried out alongside the healing process of the graft, and adjustment of occlusions and high-pressure spots was carried out. No clinical disorders were observed either in the grafted tissue or the obturator prosthesis with a 3-year prognosis. Newly designing a fibular osteocutaneous flap combined with tissue-borne obturator prosthesis is one successful approach to the restoration of oral function, and increases the patient's quality of life after bilateral maxillectomy.     

A simplified technique for construction of an interim obturator for a bilateral total maxillectomy defect

PURPOSE: This report describes a simplified method for construction of an interim obturator for a huge maxillary defect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A medical grade-silicone obturator was fabricated indirectly on a duplicate cast of the surgical defect for a patient with a bilateral total maxillectomy. This silicone obturator was attached to an acrylic plate by means of mushroom-like extension tags projecting from the fitting surface of the acrylic palatal plate. RESULTS: The obturator was well retained in the patient's mouth and markedly improved his ability to speak and swallow. CONCLUSION: This technique proved to be a simple, quick, and cost-effective method for construction of obturators for huge maxillary defects.     

Oral rehabilitation of a patient with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate using an implant-retained speech-aid prosthesis: clinical report.

OBJECTIVE: To report the oral rehabilitation of velopharyngeal insufficiency due to a congenital anatomic defect using an implant-retained speech-aid prosthesis. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old man with a diagnosis of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate on the left side with an unrepaired palate was examined. A removable partial denture with a speech bulb had been used for approximately 40 years. After primary care for gross caries and tooth mobility, an implant-retained obturator with a speech bulb was fabricated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Improvement in mastication, speech, and velopharyngeal function was achieved with a satisfactory esthetic result.     

Magnet retained intraoral-extra oral combination prosthesis: a case report

Facial prosthesis is generally considered over surgical reconstruction to restore function and appearance in patients with facial defects that resulted from cancer resection. Retention of the prosthesis is challenging due to its size and weight. Retention can be achieved by using medical grade adhesives, resilient attachments, clips and osseointegrated implants. It can also be connected to obturator by magnets. This clinical report highlights the rehabilitation of a lateral midfacial defect with a two piece prosthesis that included an extra oral facial prosthesis and an intraoral obturator with the use of magnets.     

An Alternative Procedure for Fabricating a Hollow Interim Obturator for a Partial Maxillectomy Patient

A technique is described for fabricating an interim obturator for a partial maxillectomy patient. This technique enables the immediate and easy chairside fabrication of a lightweight hollow-type interim obturator when a preoperative cast is not available. After a master cast is formed, two duplicate casts are made from the master cast. One portion of the obturator is fabricated on a duplicate cast with a corrected defect, and the other portion of the prosthetic base is made on the second duplicate cast with a corrected alveolar ridge. These two portions are connected and adjusted in the patient's oral cavity. This technique is beneficial because it helps patients maintain good esthetics and their ability to speak, swallow, and chew just after surgery.     

A mechanically retained, four part oral and facial prosthesis: a clinical report.

The design of a prosthesis depends not only on anatomical and physiological factors, but also needs to encompass patient's socio-economic limitations and psychological needs. A four-part prosthesis for a patient with a maxillary and orbital defect was designed to be easy for the patient to insert, remove and clean, retentive without requiring sophisticated attachments or the use of adhesives, and made from economically viable materials. The denture was attached to an acrylic resin core which in turn clipped into a silicone glove obturator. The facial section fastened onto the ocular "button" on a larger, separate core, which then connected into the orbital opening of the obturator. The entire assembly was self-retentive, yet each component could also be worn separately if the need arose. This provided a functional prosthesis as well as psychological benefits to the patient who had no access to medical facilities or supplies in her rural home town.     

Fabrication of a Movable Obturator Following Maxillary Reconstruction with Slit‐Shaped Fenestration

Extensive maxillary resection has generally been reconstructed with free skin flaps. Because drooping of the transferred flap causes instability of the obturator prosthesis, maxillary reconstruction often incorporates a slit‐shaped oronasal fenestration. Although obturator prostheses for edentulous patients are stabilized with the help of oronasal slits, those for dentate patients are unstable because of flap mobility, resulting in a harmful lateral force exerted on the abutment teeth, causing dislodging of the denture. This report evaluates the benefits of a movable obturator prosthesis for a 60‐year‐old dentulous patient with maxillary sinus carcinoma. The patient underwent left‐sided total maxillectomy, and the defect was reconstructed with a slit‐shaped fenestration using a rectus abdominis flap. A conventional obturator prosthesis was inserted; however, drooping of the flap caused instability of the obturator, resulting in nasal regurgitation and fracture of the clasp. To solve this problem, we designed an obturator prosthesis with a movable connection consisting of a ball attachment (patrix) in the metal base and a socket (matrix) in the obturator, which acted as a stress breaker against the harmful force exerted by the flap. Application of this movable obturator prosthesis was a useful solution for a compromising situation created by the surgical procedure. No clinical disorders were observed at the 3‐year follow‐up.     

Provisional silicone obturator for closure of hard and soft palatal defects

Treatment of intraoral squamous cell carcinomas is guided by the clinical stage of the disease and includes surgical resection. The resulting defect may be closed surgically or prosthodontically. This article describes a technique for provisional closure of a surgical defect. The interim obturator permits normal oral functioning until permanent rehabilitation is performed.     

A modified copy technique for obturator prostheses

Prosthodontic rehabilitation of patients following intra-oral surgical resection is often challenging for both the clinician and patient. With a general increase in life expectancy, it is reasonable that a definitive obturator prosthesis will need to be replaced at least once in the lifetime of a patient. The ability of a patient to become accustomed to such a new prosthesis is often limited by their increased age, and diminished neuromuscular skills and limited tissue support following surgical resection. The purpose of this paper is to describe a duplicating technique for obturator prostheses that has been adapted from conventional complete denture prosthodontics.     

Lip plumper prosthesis for a patient with a marginal mandibulectomy: a clinical report

An intraoral prosthesis was fabricated to restore more normal contour to a patient's lower lip that was compromised following a marginal mandibulectomy performed to eradicate a malignant neoplasm. The surgical resection compromised the lower lip on the affected side because the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve was damaged during the surgical resection. The prosthesis successfully restored the lost lip support, reduced the incidence of lip biting, and improved the patient's oral competency. This clinical report describes the procedure for making an intraoral lip plumper prosthesis to improve patient esthetics and oral function.     

Two‐Piece Hollow Bulb Obturator for Postsurgical Partial Maxillectomy Defect in a Young Patient Revamping Lost Malar Prominence: A Clinical Report

The most frequent type of treatment for patients diagnosed with a malignant neoplasia of the oral cavity is surgical resection of the tumor. Ablative surgery may be followed by a reconstructive phase, in which the surgeon may choose between local flaps, nonvascularized bone grafts or free vascularized flaps to close the surgical site, depending on the general conditions of the patient. Esthetic and functional results are challenging to achieve for the prosthodontist, as variable amount of hard and soft tissues are removed. This report describes the fabrication of a two‐piece hollow obturator for a 19‐year‐old patient who underwent wide surgical excision of the osteosarcoma of the maxilla and was rehabilitated to function. In this case, the surgical site was covered with submental flap, and the second piece of the obturator provided fullness to the lost malar prominence.     

The prosthodontic restoration of a self-inflicted gunshot maxillofacial defect: a short-term follow-up case report

A self-inflicted gunshot maxillofacial defect was restored with dental implants and various attachments. Following mandibular surgical reconstruction, a fixed full-arch implant-supported prosthesis was fabricated. The maxillary defect was restored with an obturator retained with bar-clip and ball attachments. Crowns with an unfavorable crown-to-root ratio were used to rectify a compromised unilateral interocclusal space. Functional rehabilitation was achieved without any pathologic sequelae and maintained over a 1-year observation period. Provision of a fixed implant-retained mandibular prosthesis opposing a specific design for a maxillary obturator provided short-term and optimistic prognosis in the management of a serious traumatic injury.     

鼻咽镜、阻塞器在治疗腭咽闭合不全中的应用

目的应用鼻咽纤维镜、腭咽阻塞器治疗腭裂术后腭咽闭合不全。方法腭咽闭合不全患者通过鼻咽镜检查，根据腭咽孔大小、形状制作腭咽阻塞器。结果４５例腭咽闭合不全患者经戴阻塞器治疗后，１００％腭咽闭合不全得到改善，其中１５例（３３％）２年后摘掉阻塞器发音正常。结论联合应用鼻咽镜与腭咽阻塞器是保守治疗腭咽闭合不全的好方法