[Prosthetic rehabilitation of dysgnathic patients]

There are only few reports on the prosthetical care of patients with dysgnathias. Thus, it seems appropriate first to delimit the field by well-defined terms from maxillo-facial surgery and orthodontics. Reichenbach, Köle, and Brückl introduced the term "principal symptom" ("Leitsymptom") for the most significant dysgnathic finding. With a view to prosthetical aspects, this term is broadened to include primary and secondary dysgnathias, after several proposals of nomenclature were made. It is reported on the number of dysgnathic patients needing treatment. The description of some of the goals aimed at by prosthetical care concludes the paper.