Radicular attachment assisted prosthetic rehabilitation of a patient with a unilateral maxillectomy defect secondary to adenocystic carcinoma

Abstract

The rehabilitation of patients with acquired defects of the maxilla is a challenge in terms of re-establishing oronasal separation. In most patients these goals are met by means of prosthetic rehabilitation with an obturator prosthesis. Prosthetic rehabilitation can be achieved satisfactorily if all facets of treatment planning and design consideration are taken well into account prior to the rehabilitation process. In many cases effective obturation is achieved but in the relative majority, the prosthesis is usually rejected by the patient as being non-retentive and the outcome is a failure. So, making the prosthesis hollow and the placement of attachments can have a dramatic effect on the stability and retention of the obturator prosthesis in partially dentulous maxillectomy patients. This paper describes a clinical case of post maxillectomy due to adenocystic carcinoma, rehabilitated with the hollow bulb obturator stabilized with Dalla Bona type of radicular attachment.

Keywords

• acquired maxillary defect
• adenocystic carcinoma
• hollow bulb obturator
• radicular attachment