Quality of life in patients rehabilitated with palatal obturator without reconstruction versus fixed implant-prosthesis after reconstruction of maxillectomy defects

The rehabilitation of head and neck oncological patients is a very difficult and a multidisciplinary approach are necessary. The rehabilitation of the m axilla was accomplished with a palatal obturator without reconstruction or fixed implant - prosthesys. The aim of this work is to compare quality of life in patients rehabilitated through a palatal obturator and/or a fixed implant - prosthesis. 68 patie nts with surgical maxillary resection were rehabilitated between 2008 and 2016.47 patients rehabilitated with an implant fixed prosthesis (group A), while 21 subjects with a palatal obturator (group B). All the patients has been interviewed through two que stionnaires to evaluate the quality of life related to the two procedures: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)and the Oral Health Impact Profile – 14 (OHIP – 14). Visual Analogue Scale shows suggest how the obturator solution could reach some just limited success; on ly a small number of cases turns out to be completed positively, since the mean score was 6,4 in values range from 4 to 7. Positive impact of implant fixed prosthesis was evidentat OHIP – 14, in terms of patients life habits, and confirmed that fi xed implant - prostheses represent best solution for rehabilitation in head and neck oncologic patients.