Katie,

My father also uses an obturator to close up the area in the roof of his mouth. He had half of his maxilla and upper palate removed on 5/23.

Dad had all of his upper teeth removed during surgery. Right now the obturator is just a plate that covers the opening. He uses a powder adhesive to attach it to the roof of his mouth that is still there.

In about 5 months he will have one made that also has teeth on it and will look like a plate with dentures on it. Because his mouth is shrinking from healing from the surgery and the radiation the obturator is now not fitting properly. His mouth is too painful from the radiation to have impressions made for a new one now. In about 4 weeks he should be able to have a new one made.

No other reconstruction options were given. I wouldn't go so far to say that Dad actually "likes" his obturator, (he would much rather things be like they were prior to the cancer, but who wouldn't?) but it does make it possible for him to eat and drink without coming back out of his nose. He is able to speak without it, but some say that it aids in their speech as well.

I don't really know that much about a free flap vs. an obturator, but I hope that you find something in what I've written that helps. August has been dealing with this longer than my dad has, and she is very helpful.

Plese keep us posted.

Joy