Abstract
Rehabilitation of head and neck defects following trauma, oncologic resection, or
congenital malformation is a challenging task. Not only is the restoration of three-dimensional
form necessary for acceptable cosmesis, but simultaneous restoration of functional
speech and swallow is also essential for optimal reconstruction outcomes. While advances
in free tissue transfer have allowed surgical reconstruction of head and neck defects
once considered inoperable and associated with poor quality of life, not all patients
are ideal surgical candidates. As such, nonsurgical solutions to both functional and
cosmetic restoration remain a necessary alternative option. Facial prostheses and
palatomaxillary obturators have evolved with increasingly biocompatible materials
as well as retention systems to address significant defects that challenge the limits
of surgical reconstruction.
Keywords
prosthetic - palatal obturation - facial reconstruction
