Rehabilitation of the Surgical Defect Secondary to Mucormycosis With a Definitive Obturator: A Case Report

TL;DR

This case report discusses the rehabilitation of a surgical defect caused by mucormycosis using a definitive obturator to restore essential functions like speech and swallowing.

Contribution

The paper highlights the importance of prosthetic planning before surgery and the role of prosthodontists in mucormycosis rehabilitation.

Findings

Prostheses are essential for restoring mastication, speech, and swallowing after maxillectomy.

Prosthetic planning should be integrated into the surgical treatment approach for mucormycosis.

The prosthodontist's involvement improves post-surgical rehabilitation outcomes.

Abstract

Neglect initially starts as an infection, evolving into a disease. During the COVID-19 pandemic, lifestyle changes and disturbed food intake have weakened immune systems, making individuals more susceptible to secondary infections. Mucormycosis poses a significant threat, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when immune systems may be compromised. The impact of the disease extends beyond physical health, affecting psychological and social well-being due to the challenges, such as difficulties in mastication, speech, and swallowing post-surgery. The mention of maxillectomy highlights the severe nature of some cases, necessitating surgical intervention to remove the affected tissue. Anatomical and functional losses following surgical excision of the maxilla and surrounding tissues need to be recovered as soon as possible. After surgery, prostheses can and should be used to restore speech, mastication, and deglutition - three essential physiological activities. Thus, a patient's treatment approach should include prosthetic planning before surgical intervention and rehabilitation after the surgery. If they are carefully handled at the moment of surgery, the overall continuity created by maxilla resection includes at least the oral, nasal, and maxillary sinus cavities, which may prove to be a useful future location for prosthesis retention. As a result, the prosthodontist's role becomes crucial in assisting the surgeon in taking all necessary precautions that are beneficial to the patient.

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