Obturators to facilitate speech and swallowing in a maxillectomy patient with dementia and cerebral infarction

Abstract

The purpose of dental treatments normally includes the recovery from the functional impairments and aesthetic problems. This case report describes the rehabilitation of a maxillectomy patient with dementia and cerebral infarction, using obturators made of different materials to facilitate speech and swallowing. The patient had difficulty inserting the original prosthesis by himself and would sometimes bite down on the obturator to position it in his mouth instead of using his hands. As a result, the obturator caused irritation and bleeding, especially in the sensitive maxillectomy area. Ultimately, a new obturator with a base made of heat-cured acrylic resin and a bulb made of silicone was delivered. In this article, we describe the case and discuss the use of the obturator to recover swallowing and speech function in this patient. (Int J Maxillofac Prosthetics 2019;1:33-35)