Velo-palatal obturator prosthesis after maxillectomyfollowing squamous cell carcinoma: a case report

The maxilla plays a primordial role in mastication, deglutition, and phonation.Maxillary defects can be the result of congenital factors, trauma, osteonecrosis, or even tumour pathology.The most common malignant tumours of the upper aero-digestive tract are squamous cell carcinomas.Soft and hard tissues defects resulting from resective surgeries of theses carcinomas cause damage on the functional, aesthetic, and psychological level.The treatment of postmaxillectomy defects includes different options, such as reconstructive surgery or rehabilitation with an obturator prosthesis.The treatment option depends on each clinical situation.The use of the removable obturator prosthesis offers several advantages by allowing the restoration of oral functions and improving patients' quality of life.We, herein, report an approach to fabricate a rigid maxillary obturator prosthesis for a partially edentulous female patient with a velo-palatal defect.The removable prosthesis is composed of two rigid obturators, one is palatal and the other is velar.The obturator prosthesis made it possible to close the oro-nasal communication and to improve swallowing, speaking and chewing.