Ruse MK, Lloren PA, Bigsby AJ, Harper MT, Lee SKY, Muller OM. Utilizing orthodontic appliances to retain and disguise a pediatric maxillary obturator throughout growth.
J Prosthet Dent 2023:S0022-3913(23)00699-6. [PMID:
38030545 DOI:
10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.10.021]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Unique challenges are encountered when providing an obturator for an adolescent patient. Challenges include the need to modify the obturator throughout growth, engaging the mixed dentition or partially erupted teeth with minimal undercuts, the psychosocial challenges of an actively maturing patient, and the possible need for coincidental orthodontic therapy. This clinical report describes the ongoing rehabilitation of a patient who presented at the age of 10 with a biopsy-confirmed palatal mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Incorporating orthodontic brackets for retention of innovative adjustable obturator clasps allowed for the favorable function of the obturator prosthesis and the ability to alter the prosthesis over time.
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