Kyrie, YES there is life with an obturator! Believe me, there was a time when I wasn't so sure myself. I had a salivary gland tumor and lost part of my jaw, some teeth and most of the roof of my mouth in April of 2010, followed by radiation. I could not understand how I was supposed to function with an obturator, and it did take a while. I had a surgical one, followed by 2 interim ones, before the final one was made about a year post-op. I also have a spare now.There were plenty of appointments in that time, with lots of trial and error. It seemed if my voice was improved, my breathing and swallowing suffered, or I would leak terribly. My prosthodontist was/is a godsend, but there were times early on when I struggled to get her to understand just what was wrong with the fit. Do not give up! It seemed I'd never reach the point where I could live my life and not feel like an obturator with a person attached rather than the other way around. I am happy to tell you, with patience and perseverance, you can live and thrive with one. I should say- on occasion, I still choke a bit and certain foods thin right out of my nose, but now I can eat enough to maintain my weight, and everyone understands my speech. It was a long road and not always easy, but you will get there!