Dear Dr. Phan, I will ask my questions on the open forum, in case anyone else can benefit from them.

I have decided to delay any decision about getting crowns for more firm attatchment of my obturator. My prosthodontist is ok with that. Now we must make the obt. work as well as possible. I have no teeth or maxilla remaining on the right side, beyond the lateral incisor.

My obt. is built on a metal framework, and the clasps surround three molars on the right side, and a small clasp hugs the lateral incisor at the surgery site.

There is considerable movement in the obturator. I find myself "playing" with it much of the time, moving it up and down off my palate. Is this looseness to be expected?

My speech is also much too nasal to be acceptable. It was much better with an older obturator. What is the cause of this. There is also leakage of liquids.

I will go back to my prosth. on Thursday for more refinements. I don't want to be unreasonable, but this is not satisfactory yet.

Thanks for any advice you have.


Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!