Evaluation of Abutment Health Related to Two Different Retention Methods of Maxillary Obturator (Randomized Control Trial)

The majority of maxillary defects can be rehabilitated with conventional simple obturator prosthesis. However, inadequate retention, stability, support, and its effect on the abutment is the questionable for each case. Telescopic crowns have been used to retain obturator for some time. The use of telescopic crown in a dentate maxillectomy patient can yield significant functional improvement while maintaining the obturator's aesthetic advantages, and abutment health. In this study the abutment health was evaluated through radiographic evaluation pocket depth, to compare between those two types of obutartors.

Sixteen patients were selected with unilateral maxillectomy. The criteria for inclusion were the presence of remaining maxillary teeth adequate for placing conventional definitive obturator and no history or planning for radiation therapy. They were divided into two groups according to treatment modality. Group(1): wearing obturator with telescopic attachment. Group(2): wearing obturator with conventional clasping. After delivery of each obturator type the abutment was evaluated at 3, 6, 9, 12 months the pocket depth was measured using periodontal prop, the radiographic evaluation was measured in from of bone density and bone height.

The results showed that there were no significant differences between clasping and Telescopic groups regarding bone height and bone density, while there was increase in pocket depth with conventional obturator.

Under the limitations of this study we can conclude that: the obturator retained by telescopic crown satisfactory treatment modality for unilateral maxillary cases.