Zygomatic buccal flange naso-pharengeal prongs obturator——repaing of large maxillary defect

The bilateral large maxillary defect is difficult to restore the chewing function,therefore the surgeons do not like to treat it or try to use the artificial chewing machine outside the mouth in some way. In 1953,the authors tried and reported naso-pharengeal prong obturator for repairing large maxillary defect.On follow-up for 30 years,the retention of the obturator is very good,but the efficiency of chewing function is not so good,this is for that the use of the residual alveolar ridge as bearing area is too small. In 1980,authors,basing upon the supposition deviced that the zygomatic area may be used as a bearing seat,designed the zygomatic buccal flange obturator.The patients thus treated have been followed up for 4 years and the result proved that the bearing function is very good,although retention of the obturator for the edentulous bilateral defect is not so good.Since 1984,we have combined these two kinds of obturators together and designed the zygomatic buddal flangenasopharengeal prongs obturator.The support and retention of this obturator are proved to be very good.