Case Report
Influence of immediate and permanent obturators on facial contours: a case series
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* Corresponding author: Süha Türkaslan suhaturkaslan@yahoo.com
1 Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
2 Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
3 Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
Cases Journal 2009, 2:6 doi:10.1186/1757-1626-2-6
Published: 3 January 2009Abstract
Introduction
Rehabilitation of patients after surgical removal of carcinomas in facial skeleton is one of the most difficult therapies of the stomatognathic system. Significant deformation of tissues, dysfunctions of the stomatognathic system with concurrent biological imbalance of the oral cavity environment frequently affect the treatment to become arduous. Scars and contraction of the oral crevice may cause serious psychological deficiencies that are another aspect of the treatment schedule.
Case presentation
Three Turkish patients ages 46 (male), 61 (male) and 24 (female) who experienced similar operations were rehabilitated with maxillary obturators. The situations was ideal for patient no 1. Patient no 2 could not receive an immediate obturator and patient no 3 rejected using permanent obturator. The paper describes the advantages of a surgical obturator which is constructed before operation and inserted immediately following partial maxillectomy and expresses long term complications when neglecting the use of definite obturator prosthesis, in the light of three cases.
Conclusion
The primary objective of oral-maxillofacial and plastic surgeons and prosthodontists when treating tumors is to eliminate disease and to improve the quality of life including the facial contours which influences the psychological condition of patient. Neglecting immediate obturator construction may cause serious facial appearance problems due to soft tissue contracture. When permanent obturator is rejected, serious contracture of soft tissues and facial disharmony is inevitable.