In the previous post, you learned a little about the history of facial prostheses. And now we want to look at some of its applications. Acquired facial defects, especially after radical surgical operations, often result in patients’ substantial functional, cosmetic, and psychological handicaps. A complex rehabilitation is necessary to be carried out by maxillofacial surgeons and prosthodontists. Plastic surgical reconstruction of these defects is frequently limited due to unfavorable conditions, such as vascular compromise of the surgical bed due to radiotherapy, and insufficient residual soft and hard tissues. In such cases, patients with significant maxillofacial defects are rehabilitated using craniofacial prostheses, offering an acceptable aesthetic solution. Facial prostheses are constructed by maxillofacial surgeons, implantologists, prosthodontists, and technicians, as an alternative treatment when facial defects cannot be surgically fulfilled. Facial prosthesis using dental implants and ball attachments, bars, or magnetic abutments is a method of choice to replace missing hard and soft facial tissues. Nose, eye, and ear form, coloration, and texture must be as indiscernible as possible from the surrounding natural tissues. Rehabilitation efforts can be successful only when patients can appear in public without fear of attracting unwanted attention.
