CLOSED HOLLOW BULB OBTURATOR WITH REPLICATED PALATAL RUGAE IN A HEMIMAXILLECTOMY PATIENT-A CLINICAL REPORT.

Introduction: The most common intra oral defects are in the form of cleft or opening in the palate. These defects may be acquired or congenital. Acquired is due to injuries or surgical excision of tumor and congenital is due to malformation. One of the main impacts of patients submitted to maxillectomy is the impairment of speech intelligibility. Obturator is defined as prosthesis used to close congenital or acquired tissue opening, primarily of hard palate and contiguous alveolar structures. Ideally, this prosthesis should be easy to construct, be light in weight, provide better retention, support, and stability, and be functionally acceptable to the patient. To fabricate a lightweight prosthesis, a closed hollow obturator can be fabricated. There are many methods available to fabricate closed hollow bulb obturators. Objective: To fabricate a light weight hollow bulb obturator with duplicated palatal rugae for a hemimaxillectomy patient in a simple way. Case: A 32-year-old man visited the Department of Prosthodontics for the rehabilitation of a 1-year-old maxillary defect after hemimaxillectomy due to squamous cell carcinoma and was treated with hollow bulb obturator prosthesis with a duplicated palatal rugae. Conclusion: The hollow bulb reduces the weight of prosthesis and duplicated palatal rugae helps in improving speech intelligibility, making it comfortable for the patient.