SWALLOWING EFFICACY OF POST-MAXILLECTOMY PATIENTS USING OBTURATOR WITH RADICULAR ATTACHMENT

Background: Maxillectomy defect causes a communication between the oral and nasal cavities affecting oral functions; inability to swallow and psychological depression of patients. Obturators improve swallowing, as well as provide psychological support to the maxillary defective patients. Adding radicular attachment (s) in an obturator make(s) the obturator more effective.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of obturators with radicular attachment and conventional obturators in swallowing efficacy of patients following maxillectomy.

Methods: Fifty adult patients with maxillectomy defect were selected after completely healing of the surgical wound as the sample of the study. Among them, 25 patients were treated with obturator with radicular attachment and another 25 patients were treated with conventional obturator. After insertion of obturator, data were collected on the basis of swallowing efficacy of the patients at baseline and follow up visits in interval of 1 week, 1 month and 3 months.

Results: Patients treated with obturators with radicular attachment showed significantly better (P value <0.001) swallowing efficacy than those treated by conventional obturators.

Conclusion: Obturator with radicular attachment is more effective than conventional obturator.