Oral Cancer Rehabilitation: Practical Tips and Best Practices for Prosthetic, Obturator, and Speech Aid Management

Oral cancer rehabilitation is essential for restoring function and quality of life in patients undergoing maxillectomy procedures. These patients often experience oronasal communication, food leakage, hypernasal speech, and swallowing difficulties, requiring a systematic, multidisciplinary approach. Rehabilitation typically progresses through phased interventions, beginning with preoperative planning, followed by surgical and interim obturators, and culminating in a definitive prosthesis. Obturators play a vital role in separating the oral and nasal cavities, promoting wound healing, improving speech and swallowing, and restoring facial aesthetics. Successful outcomes depend on precise prosthetic design, understanding maxillary anatomy, and managing tissue changes due to surgery or radiation therapy, combined with patient education and collaboration between dental professionals, oncologists, and speech therapists.