Maxillary obturator: a clinical case report.

The most frequent openings of the maxilla result from cleft palates or tumors that require either partial or total surgical removal of the palate. Intraoral defects in the maxilla can cause an opening into the nasopharynx complex. Cleft palates or surgically removed tumors can have a devastating effect on a patient's appearance and speech. Obturators allow patients to eat and drink without fear of food or drink entering the oronasal and/or oroantral cavities during mastication. This article reviews the three clinical situations in which obturators are used to correct intraoral defects and discusses a clinical case that was treated successfully by using an obturator. An alternative method for fabricating a hollow bulb obturator also is discussed.

Rotational path removable partial denture: an esthetic alternative.

Missing teeth can be replaced using any of a number of methods. Patients may choose to replace missing teeth with a prosthesis that is either removable, fixed, or retained with implants. When it is necessary to replace anterior or posterior teeth, a properly designed and fabricated rotational path removable partial denture can be both successful and esthetically pleasing to the patient. However, while a patient's functional and esthetic needs can be met successfully, rotational path removable partial dentures can be more demanding for the laboratory technician to fabricate and for the dentist to seat in the mouth. Rotational path removable partial dentures frequently are overlooked as a viable means of treating missing teeth. This article reviews the principles of rotational path removable partial dentures, as well as their categories, advantages, and disadvantages, in the hope that more dentists will consider them when the need arises.

Elder abuse update.

The following article offers an update on the topic of elder abuse. As the baby boomer generation ages, the number of elderly patients seeking all forms of dentistry will increase. This article is designed to inform dentists of their responsibility to the entire health of their patients. Guidelines and suggestions are made to ensure that dentists are able to diagnose and manage patients that may be in an abusive relationship.

Dental management of liver transplant patients.

Dentists are responsible for understanding treatment regimens concerning a myriad of health issues. Increasingly, patients who have significant liver disease or have undergone liver transplant therapy will seek either preoperative or postoperative care. This article reviews current protocols for managing these patients.

PMMA: an essential material in medicine and dentistry.

The first use of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a dental device was for the fabrication of complete denture bases. Its qualities of biocompatibility, reliability, relative ease of manipulation, and low toxicity were soon seized upon and incorporated by many different medical specialties. PMMA has been used for (a) bone cements; (b) contact and intraocular lens; (c) screw fixation in bone; (d) filler for bone cavities and skull defects; and (e) vertebrae stabilization in osteoporotic patients. The many uses of PMMA in the field of medicine will be the focus of this review, with particular attention paid to assessing its physical properties, advantages, disadvantages, and complications. Although numerous new alloplastic materials show promise, the versatility and reliability of PMMA cause it to remain a popular and frequently used material.