Two-piece denture-obturator prosthesis for a patient with severe trismus: a new approach

Prosthetic intervention with maxillary obturator prosthesis is necessary to restore the contours of resected palate and to recreate the functional separation of the oral cavity and sinus and nasal cavity. Trismus occurs most frequently in maxillectomy patient following surgical procedure. Absence of graft placement and healing by secondary intention always results in healing contracture and trismus. Trismus could also be a result of post radiation sclerosis and scarring of muscles. Two-piece denture-obturator prosthesis is an alternative management to conventional acrylic resin obturator prosthesis for the patient with severe trismus as patient could not insert a large prosthesis in the mouth. The use of flexible or resilient material affords the opportunity to engage in undercut areas, needed to help in the retention of the prosthesis, without causing trauma to the soft, often sensitive, and easily irritable tissues.