title: Fabrication of a hollow obturator as a single unit for management of bilateral subtotal maxillectomy.
abstract: Prosthetic rehabilitation with an obturator for a total or subtotal maxillectomy patient is a challenging task, as there are little or no residual maxillary structures to depend on for support, retention, and stability of the prosthesis. This clinical report describes the prosthodontic management of a patient operated on for a bilateral subtotal maxillectomy secondary to ameloblastoma of the palate with a closed hollow obturator. The processing technique described in this article to fabricate the hollow obturator is a variation of other well-known techniques. The variation comprises the use of a wax bolus to maintain a predictable internal dimension for a hollow obturator. This technique allows fabrication of a complete hollow obturator prosthesis as a single unit in heat-polymerized acrylic resin using a single-step flasking procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Government Dental College & Hospital, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. pravinandsmita@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Pravinkumar G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Smita P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Patil
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000601:surgery; D003761:Dental Impression Technique; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D003819:Denture Bases; D003779:Denture Design; D003827:Denture, Complete, Upper; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D019558:Occlusal Adjustment; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D010158:Palatal Obturators; D013499:Surface Properties; D014885:Waxes
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D003764:Dental Materials; D014885:Waxes