Prosthetic Rehabilitation of an Unusually Self-Obturated Cleft Palate Defect in an Adult Edentulous Patient Living in a Remote Rural Area. A Clinical Report

Abstract

Patients with unrepaired cleft palate defects still exist within remote rural areas. The prosthodontic rehabilitation of an adult edentulous cleft patient could be very demanding for treating maxillofacial prosthodontist, since most of them are edentulous, challenging the retention and the stability of the maxillary prosthesis. It is therefore highly important that cleft palate patients seek dental and prosthodontic care as early in their life as possible. In this report, an unusual case of a patient self-obturated cleft palate defect is presented. The patient’s self-made prosthesis was replaced by an appropriately fabricated pharyngeal obturator prosthesis in order to improve speech and swallowing.

Keywords

• cleft palate defect
• pharyngeal obturator