GD560 - Rehabilitation using combined oral and maxillofacial prostheses: A case report-GD560

GD560 - Article

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This case report describes the prosthetic rehabilitation of a 71-year-old man who had an extensive maxillofacial defect after head and neck cancer surgery. The resection involved the right orbital floor, maxilla, and palate, creating a large intraoral-extraoral communication that affected appearance, speech, swallowing, eyelid closure, and eye protection.<br /><br />The treatment plan used three prostheses: a conventional total mandibular denture, a maxillary obturator to close the palatal defect, and a silicone maxillofacial prosthesis to restore the missing facial structures. The intraoral and extraoral impressions were made with irreversible hydrocolloid, and the prostheses were fabricated on stone casts. The maxillary and mandibular dentures were completed in heat-cured acrylic resin.<br /><br />For the facial prosthesis, wax was used to reconstruct the missing facial area on the cast and to test fit on the patient. Magnets were placed in the obturator and facial prosthesis to improve retention and stability. Because silicone does not bond chemically to magnets, the magnet in the facial prosthesis was housed in an acrylic resin capsule to create mechanical retention within the silicone. The prosthesis was then processed using intrinsically and extrinsically pigmented silicone to match the patient’s skin tone. Eyeglasses were also attached to further increase stability and improve wearability.<br /><br />The combined prostheses successfully restored esthetics and function, improved speech and swallowing, and reduced the need for dressings. The report emphasizes that combined oral and maxillofacial prostheses are a practical and effective rehabilitative option for patients with large defects after cancer surgery, supporting quality of life and social reintegration.

Keywords

maxillofacial prosthesis

prosthetic rehabilitation

orbital floor defect

maxillary obturator

silicone facial prosthesis

head and neck cancer

magnetic retention

intraoral-extraoral communication

speech and swallowing

aesthetic restoration