Saving Faces Changing Lives the Art of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics – A case report

Facial defects resulting from neoplasm, congenital malformation or trauma can be restored with facial prosthesis using different materials and retention methods to achieve life -like look and function3 . The replacement of lost parts caused by ablative cancer surgery is never easy to achieve by reconstructive surgery, especially when the initial operation is extensive and destructive .Restoration of large facial defects is a challenge both for the maxillofacial plastic surgeons and maxillofacial prosthodontists. Prosthetic rehabilitation can be preferred due to probability of recurrence, complexity of the surgical reconstruction procedure, radiation therapy, esthetic importance and it is easy to reproduce the former shape, size and color of the tissues. A nasal prosthesis can re-establish esthetic form and anatomic contours for mid-facial defects, often more effectively than by surgical reconstruction as the nose is relatively immobile structure. For successful results, lot of factors such as harmony, texture, color matching and blending of tissue interface with the prosthesis are important. The aim of the presented case report is to describe the non-surgical rehabilitation, with RTVsilicone, nasal prosthesis for a patient who received total rhinectomy as a result of squamous cell carcinoma of the nose. The prosthesis was made to restore the esthetic appearance of the patient with a mechanical retained design using a spectacle glass frame. “It is the God given right of every human being to appear human '' Facial defects result in multiple functional and psychosocial difficulties. Surgical reconstruction techniques, prosthetic rehabilitation or a combination of both the methods to restore these facial disfigurements may improve the level of function and self-confidence for patients3