From the Operating Room to the Dental Chair: Collaborative Prosthodontics in Craniofacial Rehabilitation

Craniofacial rehabilitation demands a multidisciplinary approach where prosthodontists play a pivotal yet often underutilized role in the continuum of care. Traditionally, prosthetic rehabilitation is considered a postsurgical step, leading to delays in functional restoration and compromised outcomes. This editorial emphasizes the need to redefine prosthodontics as an integral component of craniofacial surgical planning, from the operating room to the dental chair. By fostering collaboration between surgeons, prosthodontists, and digital design teams at the preoperative stage, patient-specific obturators (prosthetic devices designed to close palatal or facial defects), stents (used to maintain surgical openings or support tissue healing), and implant-supported frameworks can be planned, thereby improving surgical precision and postoperative function. Advances in 3D printing, virtual surgical planning, and CAD/CAM technology further strengthen the feasibility of this collaborative workflow. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence in anatomical segmentation, prosthesis design, and predictive surgical planning is a rapidly developing domain, promising greater accuracy and personalization. Despite these technological advances, barriers such as logistical challenges, reimbursement limitations, and a lack of structured interdepartmental pathways continue to hinder early prosthodontic involvement. Addressing these systemic issues through institutional protocols, interdisciplinary training modules, and streamlined communication pathways can enhance overall care delivery. Highlighting cases from oncology, trauma, and congenital deformity management, this piece calls for institutional mandates that support early prosthodontic integration to optimize both esthetic and functional outcomes in craniofacial rehabilitation, while also embracing emerging technologies that shape the future of this field.