Definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis: Timelines for fabrication and follow-up

Introduction A definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis can be used to rehabilitate a maxillary defect with the aim of improving speech, deglutition, and elimination of oronasal regurgitation. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the time required to fabricate a definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis and (2) to compare the fabrication and follow-up times between a patient's first and second definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis. Materials and methods A retrospective review was completed of patients that had maxillary definitive obturators fabricated following head and neck surgery from 2002 to 2018 (n = 173). Demographics, clinical data, date of surgery, start date of fabrication, follow-up dates, and prosthesis follow-up data were collected. Results The median time to delivery of the patient's first definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis from the date of surgery was 7.7 months for nonradiated patients and 9.6 months for radiated patients (P <= .05). Additionally, there was a significant difference in the median number of appointments to fabricate the 1st definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis as compared to the 2nd prosthesis (6 vs 5; P <= .05). Conclusion Fabrication timelines differed based on history of radiotherapy and patient experience. This data is helpful to set expectations for patients and practitioners regarding the process for prosthesis fabrication and follow-up.