An Innovative and Simple Approach to Functional Salivary Reservoir Fabrication.

Saliva is a valuable oral fluid that is often taken for granted. Impaired salivary function is a major and a debilitating sequela of radiation treatment for patients with head and neck cancer. It can persist for years and thereby increases the risk of oral infection significantly. Moreover, it has a notably negative impact on the quality of life of such patients. To help overcome this problem, a number of techniques have been proposed for incorporating a reservoir containing salivary substitute into a removable prosthesis. A new design for a functional salivary reservoir is presented here. This design is simple to construct and easily maintained by the wearer. Details of its design, construction, and other potential advantages are presented.

An innovative design of 2-piece saliva reservoir using precision attachment: a case report.

Standard head and neck radiotherapy results in serious, often irreversible damage to the major and minor salivary gland tissues. The resultant profound hypo-salivation leads to serious oral health and functional problems that seriously affect oral health-related quality of life. Intra-oral devices with reservoirs have been developed that allow the release of saliva substitute into the mouth. This case report describes an innovative technique for incorporation of saliva reservoir in cast partial denture in patient with post irradiation xerostomia.