Quality of life in patients rehabilitated with palatal obturator without reconstruction versus fixed implant-prosthesis after reconstruction of maxillectomy defects

The rehabilitation of head and neck oncological patients is a very difficult and a multidisciplinary approach are necessary. the rehabilitation of the maxilla was accomplished with a palatal obturator without reconstruction or fixed implant-prosthesys. the aim of this work is to compare quality of life in patients rehabilitated through a palatal obturator and/or a fixed implant-prosthesis. 68 patients with surgical maxillary resection were rehabilitated between 2008 and 2016.47 patients rehabilitated with an implant fixed prosthesis (group a),while 21 subjects with a palatal obturator (group b). all the patients has been interviewed through two questionnaires to evaluate the quality of life related to the two procedures: visual analogue scale (vas)and the oral health impact profile -14 (ohip-14). visual analogue scale shows suggest how the obturator solution could reach some just limited success; only a small number of cases turns out to be completed positively,since the mean score was 6,4 in values range from 4 to 7. positive impact of implant fixed prosthesis was evidentat ohip-14,in terms of patients life habits,and confirmed that fixed implant-prostheses represent best solution for rehabilitation in head and neck oncologic patients.