Maxillofacial prosthetics and the head and neck cancer patient

The rehabilitation of cancer patients has been an important aspect of patient care in recent decades. Disabilities resulting from acquired surgical defects in the head and neck area frequently are corrected by using nonliving substitutes or prostheses. A number of specialists in the prosthetic reconstruction of head and neck patients, namely maxillofacial prosthodontists, have been trained over the past 20 years. Now more large metropolitan areas have these services available for cancer patients. In addition, pertinent research in materials and design has resulted in a whole array of possible prostheses that can be constructed to meet specific patient needs. Both the current state of the art in maxillofacial prosthetics and recent advances are highlighted in this paper. The areas covered are: extraoral (facial) prostheses, intraoral prostheses, implant prostheses, and treatment prostheses. The multidisciplinary nature of head and neck cancer patient rehabilitation is also reviewed.