title: Digital Design and Fabrication of Surgical Obturators Based Only on Preoperative Computed Tomography Data.
abstract: This article describes the digital fabrication of a surgical obturator (SO) using only computed tomography (CT) data from the tumor area. This procedure is a departure from the traditional method of making an impression and obtaining a patient cast prior to surgery to allow for SO fabrication. The present approach allows for a virtual resection based on the patient's CT image; the SO is digitally designed with animation software and fabricated by 3D printing. The SO is relined with a denture reliner at the time of surgery to complete the obturation of the maxillectomy defect.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodney
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chicchon
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003761:Dental Impression Technique; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D010158:Palatal Obturators; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed