Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Lecture Notes

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering maxillofacial prosthetics, congenital and acquired defects, speech mechanisms, radiotherapy protocols, and prosthetic rehabilitation appliances like obturators, stents, and splints.

Maxillofacial Prosthetics

A branch of Prosthodontics concerned with the restoration and/or replacement of intra-oral and associated facial structures missing due to surgery, trauma, or congenital defects.

Maxillofacial Prosthesis

Any prosthesis used to replace part or all of the stomatognathic and/or the craniofacial structures.

Obturators

Appliances used to close a congenital or an acquired defect in the palate, derived from the Latin verb 'obturare' meaning to close or to shut off.

Stents

Non-prosthetic passive removable appliances used to control bleeding, promote healing, carry medication, or hold grafts in position.

Splints

Appliances used to hold fragments together in cases of fractures until healing takes place.

Resection Appliances

Appliances used in cases of mandibular defects to correct the path of closure of the mandible.

Primary Palate

Structure formed during the $4^{th}$ to $7^{th}$ week of intra-uterine life from the median nasal process, forming the premaxilla and the philtrum.

Secondary Palate

Structure formed at the $6^{th}$ week of intra-uterine life as bilateral projections that rotate to a horizontal position as the mandible grows.

Rule of Ten

The criteria for determining the timing of cleft lip surgery: $10$ pounds in weight, $10$ weeks old, and a hemoglobin count of $10$.

Veau Type I

A classification of cleft lip and palate involving only the soft palate (velum).

Veau Type IV

Clefts involving both the hard and soft palates and a bilateral cleft of the alveolus and upper lip.

Kernahan and Stark Classification

A graphic classification scheme using a 'Y-configuration' divided into $9$ areas to denote the anatomy and embryo importance of the incisive foramen.

Feeding Appliance

A prosthetic acrylic plate used to aid infants with cleft palate during the pre-palatal surgery period by restoring the separation between oral and nasal cavities.

Naso-alveolar molding device

A device used for $5-6$ months to realign alveolar segments and position surrounding soft tissues, like the columella, before surgical closure.

Meatus Obturator

An upward projection from a prosthesis designed to reduce nasopharynx resonance at the level of the auditory meati.

Passavant ridge

A horizontal ridge or cushion around the lateral and posterior walls of the pharynx at the horizontal level of the hard palate, present in $33.33 \times 10^{-2}$ of individuals.

Speech bulb

The pharyngeal section of a speech aid prosthesis that extends posteriorly into the pharyngeal cavity to provide contact with pharyngeal musculature.

Closest speaking space (CSS)

The space between upper and lower incisors during the pronunciation of the 'S' sound, typically measuring $1 \text{ mm}$.

Aramany Class I

A classification for partially edentulous maxillectomy patients where the lateral defect reaches the midline.

Scar band

Tough fibrous tissue formed at the junction of a skin graft and the lining mucosa of the cheek or lip during healing.

Immediate surgical obturator

A prosthesis fabricated on a cast obtained prior to surgery and placed at or immediately after the surgical procedure.

Interim Obturator

A prosthesis made $2-4$ weeks after surgery that serves to bridge the gap between surgical recovery and the definitive prosthesis.

Definitive Obturator

A prosthesis constructed $3-4$ months after surgery when the surgical site has stabilized dimensionally.

Cantor and Curtis Class II

A mandibular defect category involving lateral resection of the mandible distal to the cuspid area.

Buccal training flange

A lower mandibular guidance prosthesis with a metal flange that engages maxillary teeth to direct the mandible into intercuspal position.

Leukoplakia

An asymptomatic white patch on the oral mucous membrane that cannot be scraped off and may undergo malignant changes.

Osteoradionecrosis

A condition where bone becomes virtually non-vital with poor response to trauma and infection due to high-dose radiation and reduced blood supply.

Cerrobend alloy

A shielding material with a low melting point of $70^{\text{o}}C$ used to prevent the passage of an electron beam during radiotherapy.

Trismus

Reduced mobility of the mandible resulting from tonic contraction of the muscles of mastication.

Gunning splint

A one-piece or modified two-piece splint used for immobilization in edentulous patients with jaw fractures.

Orthovoltage therapy

Deep therapy treatment involving X-rays from clinical radiation generators.

Brachytherapy

A form of radiotherapy where radioactive sources (needles, wires, or seeds) are inserted directly into the tissues either temporarily or permanently.

Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO)

A treatment that stimulates neovascular proliferation in marginally necrotic tissues and increases white blood cell bactericidal activity.

Marsupialization

A surgical procedure for cysts where a permanent opening is created; a 'cyst plug' is used afterward to maintain the patency of the orifice.

Oral screen

A habit-breaking acrylic resin stent worn at night to stimulate nasal breathing and control habits like thumb sucking.