title: The role of nasendoscopy in the fabrication of a palatopharyngeal obturator - a case report.
abstract: Defects confined to the hard palate can be managed with relative ease because it is a static shelf creating oro- nasal separation. Since the soft palate is a dynamic separator between the oral and nasal cavities, defects involving the soft palate require careful consideration. Instrumental visualization methods can aid the fabrication of obturators in patients with such defects and prevent problems of under or over obturation. This case report presents the prosthodontic management of a patient with a Veau class II cleft palate using a palatopharyngeal obturator in order to re-establish normal functions of deglutition and speech. Nasendoscopy was used as an adjunctive procedure to assess velopharyngeal function with the prosthesis.
authors.affiliation: Student, Goa Dental College and Hospital , Bambolim, Goa, India .
authors.forename: Bhavya M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Prosthodontics, Goa Dental College and Hospital , Bambolim, Goa, India .
authors.forename: Meena A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aras
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Goa Dental College and Hospital , Bambolim, Goa, India .
authors.forename: Vidya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chitre
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Goa Dental College and Hospital , Bambolim, Goa, India .
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rajagopal
keywords: Cleft palate; Nasendoscopy; Palatopharyngeal obturator