title: Oral rehabilitation of a patient with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate using an implant-retained speech-aid prosthesis: clinical report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the oral rehabilitation of velopharyngeal insufficiency due to a congenital anatomic defect using an implant-retained speech-aid prosthesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvement in mastication, speech, and velopharyngeal function was achieved with a satisfactory esthetic result.
authors.affiliation: Oral Rehabilitation Department, School of Dentistry, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912, USA. aabreu@mcg.edu
authors.forename: Amara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abreu
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rivera
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D010158:Palatal Obturators; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*