• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the functional abilities of the low bulb obturators with those of high bulb obturators in terms of patients' evaluation. Material and methods: This study included 11 maxillectomy patients who underwent postoperative prosthodontic rehabilitations. Two obturators of the same design except for different bulb heights, were fabricated for each of the maxillectomy patient. After two months of alternate use, the functions of the obturators were measured by investigating the patients' subjective evaluations in terms of convenience, speech, nasality, leakage, and mastication and identifying their preferred prostheses. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used as a statistical method (P < .05). Results: There were no significant differences in patient evaluations of low and high bulb obturators (P >.05). And patients' preferences varied. Conclusion: In extreme situation such as in mouth opening limitation, the use of low bulb obturators can be recommended and result in comparable speech function to that of obturators with high lateral walls.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.219-223
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• 2016

PURPOSE. This study aimed to create a digitized database of fabricated obturators to be kept for patients' potential emergency needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A chairside intraoral scanner was used to scan the surfaces of an acrylic resin obturator. The scanned data was recorded and saved as a single standard tessellation language file using a three-dimensional modeling software. A simulated obturator model was manufactured using fused deposition modeling technique in a three-dimensional printer. RESULTS. The entire obturator was successfully scanned regardless of its structural complexity, modeled as three-dimensional data, and stored in the digital system of our clinic at a relatively small size (19.6 MB). A simulated obturator model was then accurately manufactured from these data. CONCLUSION. This study provides a proof-of-concept for the use of digital technology to create a digitized database of obturators for edentulous maxillectomy patients.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.671-684
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to compare the apical sealing ability, overfilling and obturation of lateral canals using two gutta-percha techniques: Thermafil obturators and cold lateral condensation. Eighty numbered epoxide blocks with one major and five lateral canals were divided into four experimental groups and obturated according to experimental groups. Four experimental groups were as follows: Group 1 : Filling with Thermafil plastic obturators and sealer(ThermaSeal) Group 2 : Filling with Thermafil plastic obturators only, without sealer(ThermaSeal) Group 3 : Fillng using lateral condensation with sealer(AH-26) Group 4 : Fillng using lateral condensation without sealer(AH-26) All the blocks were stored in 100% relative humidor at room temperature for 7 days. Each block was placed in centrifuge tube filled with India ink, and then centrifuged for 20 minutes at 3,000 rpm. Apical leakage was measured from the apical foramen to the most coronal level of dye penetration in millimeter under a stereoscope. The length of gutta-percha and sealer in each of the lateral canals was measured, too. The presence or absence of overfilling of gutta-percha and sealer was recorded. The data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The obtained results were as follows: l. Apical dye leakage was almost: not occurred in Group Willed with Thermafil and sealer) and Group 3(filled using lateral condensation with sealer), and there was no significant difference in linear leakage between two groups(p>0.01). 2. In both Thermafil and lateral condensation groups, linear leakage of Group I, 3(filled with sealer) was less than that of Group 2, 4(filled without sealer), and there was no significant difference in linear leakage between Group 1, 2, 3(p> 0.01). 3. Overfilling during obturation of Group 1, 2(filled with Thermafil) was more than Group 3, 4(filled using lateral condensation), and there was no significant difference between groups(p> 0.05). 4. Groups filled with Thermafil had significantly more gutta-percha than groups filled using lateral condensation in all lateral canals(p <0.01), the total length of gutta-percha and sealer found in all lateral canals were similar in Group 1 and Group 3.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.517-529
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the apical sealing ability of the Thermafil endodontic obturation technique and to compare it with lateral condensation technique. 42 straight canals from extracted human anterior teeth and 42 curved canals(> $25^{\circ}$) from maxillary and mandibular molar teeth were selected. And 80 of them were divided into four groups, 20 canals respectively. The teeth in prior two groups had straight canals and the other two groups had curved canals. The rest of four canals served as positive and negative controls. After resecting anatomical crowns, all canals were prepared using a standard step-back technique. Lateral condensation was used to obturate two groups, one group of straight ones the other curved. And Thermafil obturators were also used in the same two groups. Obturated teeth were infiltrated by India ink for a week, decalcified and cleared with 5% nitric acid and methyl salicylate. The apical leakage and the frequency of filled lateral and accessory canals were measured with stereomicroscope and also apical extrusion of sealer and gutta-percha and obturation time were checked and the data were analyzed statistically(one-way ANOVA, t-test, Chi-square test). The results were as follows : 1. There was no significant difference in the degree of dye penetration between Thermafil and lateral condensation groups(p>0.05). 2. Apical extrusion of sealer and gutta-percha occurred significantly more often with Thermafil obturators in straight canals(p<0.05), but not significantly different in curved canals(p>0.05). 3. Canal obturation time with Thermafil obturators was significantly faster than lateral condensation (p<0.05). 4. The Thermafil groups showed a higher frequency of filled lateral and accessory canals than in the lateral condensation groups. But the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.349-355
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• 2020

The use of an obturator prosthesis for patients with maxillary defects is a common treatment method to improve their oral function and achieve esthetic satisfaction. However, due to various difficulties and complexities, conventional methods for fabricating dental obturators continue to pose a challenge for dentists and patients, as well as laboratory technicians. CAD-CAM technologies may make it simple to fabricate maxillofacial prostheses including hollow obturators, which could improve comfort for clinicians by reducing burdensome manipulations. In addition, patients without a specialist in their vicinity will be able to be treated via cooperation between a nearby general practitioner and a distant prosthodontist. The aim of this clinical report is to investigate the possibility of using digitally fabricated maxillofacial prostheses that can be designed in one location, and manufactured in another in clinical situations.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2023

Maxillary bone defects may follow surgical treatment of benign and malignant tumors, trauma, and infection. Palatal defects often lead to problems with swallowing and pronunciation from the leakage of air into the nasal cavity and sinus. Obturators have been commonly used to solve these problems, but long-term use of the device may cause irritation of the oral mucosa or damage to the abutment teeth. Utilizing implants in the edentulous area for the fabrication of the obturators has gained attention. This case report describes a patient, who had undergone partial resection of the maxilla due to adenocarcinoma, in need of a new obturator after losing abutment teeth after long-term use of the previous obturator. Implants were placed in strategic locations, and an implant-retained maxillary obturator was fabricated, showing satisfactory results in the rehabilitation of multiple aspects, including palatal defect, masticatory function, swallowing, pronunciation, and aesthetics.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.248-253
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• 2012

Maxillary obturator prosthesis is the most frequent treatment option for management of partial or total maxillectomy. Heavy weight of the obturators is often a dislocating factor. Hollowing the prosthesis to reduce its weight is the well established fact. The alternate technique to hollow-out the prosthesis has been described in this article which is a variation of previously described processing techniques. A pre-shaped wax-bolus was incorporated inside the flasks during packing of the heat-polymerized acrylic resin to automatically create the hollow space. The processing technique described is a single step flasking procedure to construct a closed-hollow-obturator prosthesis as a single unit. To best understand the technique, this article describes management of a patient who had undergone partial maxillectomy secondary to squamous cell carcinoma rehabilitated with a hollow-obturator prosthesis.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.411-416
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• 2016

Patients who underwent resection of maxilla due to benign or malignant tumor, or accident will have defect in palatal area. They get retention, support and stability from remaining tissues which are hardly optimal. The advantage of swing-lock attachment design is having multiple contacts on labial and lingual side of the abutment teeth by retentive strut and palatal bracing component. Because the force is distributed equally to abutment teeth, abutment teeth of poor prognosis can be benefited from it. It is also more advantageous to cover soft tissue defects which are hard to reach with conventional prosthesis. A 56-year-old female patient who had undergone a maxillectomy due to malignant melanoma complaining of loose and unstable surgical obturator. Surveyed crowns were placed on #12, 26, and 27. Teeth #11, 21, 22, and 23 had lingual rest seat and #24 had mesial rest seat to improve stability and support of the obturator. This clinical report presents the prosthetic management of a patient treated with obturator on the maxilla using swing-lock attachment to the remaining teeth.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 1999

The use of obturator is the prosthetic rehabilitation approach for restoration of the defected maxillary shape and function for the patients with palatal defect. The obturator can change the shape of vocal tract and nasality, but few reports on the effects of the change were presented. So, the authors performed the experimental study to compare the difference between the sizes of vowel triangles produced by maxillectomized patients before and after obturator-wearing and to consider how much improvement in speech intelligibility can be expected by obturator wearing. The 8 patients who were totally maxillectomized due to palatal cancer were participated as subjects. They produced 5 vowels(/a/, /i/, /u/, /e/, /o/) before and after obturator-wearing. The formants of the vowels were analyzed by the spectrogram of CSL, and their speech intelligibility were judged by normal 8 listeners. As results, the frequency of the first and the second formant showed no significant difference between the articulation before and after wearing, but the comparison of the sizes of vowel triangles, related with the speech intelligibility, showed significant difference. The vowel triangle of the articulation after wearing was larger than that of the articulation before wearing. /i/ showed the lowest speech intelligibility score among the vowel articulation before wearing. After wearing obturators, their scores increased on the whole, especially, in /a/, but the intelligibility of /u/ decreased after wearing.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.151-167
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• 1996

Temporary soft liners can be used to prevent chronic soreness from dentures or to aid in its treatment are as adjuncts in tissue conditioning, for temporary obturators, and to stabilize baseplate or surgical stent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shock absorption properties of several temporary soft denture liners using a free drop test with an accelerometer. The materials tested inclued Coe-comfort, Softone, Tissue conditioner and Viscogel. The specimens were fabricated with the thickness of 1, 2, 3mm and were stored in distilled water at $37^{\circ}C$ for a day, 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Six samples were made with each material for each test condition and the shock-absorbing behavior was evaluated according to material, thickness and duration. The results were as following : 1. Softone of 3mm thickness stored for a day showed the most excellent shock absorbability. 2. The shock absorbing behavior of duration according to materials and thickness showed a day to be the highest and decreased in 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks in that order(p<0.05). And there was no significant difference between durations in Tissue conditioner. 3. The shock absorbability of thickness according to materials and duration showed 3mm to be highest and decreased in the order of 2mm, 1mm(p<0.05). 4. In comparison of the shock absorbability of temporary soft denture liners according to thickness, there was statistically significant difference between Softone and Visocgel, Tissue conditioner, Coe-comfort / Viscogel and Tissue conditioner, Coe-comfort in 1,2mm thickness, and between Softone, Viscogel and Tissue conditioner, Coe-comfort in 3mm thickness (p<0.05).