It's been almost a year now since my mother had her last surgery and was put on a PEG for feeding. The prosthesis she had been wearing to cover the hole in the roof of her mouth was great while it lasted, but the last surgery took the remaining teeth to hold it in. She therefore had difficulty eating/drinking because things would go 1) down her throat, 2) through the hole in roof of mouth or 3) down the wrong way (aspirate) thus, the PEG. Her RO told her he knew a doctor who may be able to help her w/a prosthesis. Her previous doc re the prosthesis said he had done everything he possibly could do for her and knew of nothing else to be done. He was a GREAT dr. She has had one or two swallow tests since but her swallowing muscles do not direct things in the right direction and why would they ever think they would w/o the prosthesis??? Anyway, my question is...if some how they could figure out a way to make a new prosthesis, can someone get their swallowing muscles back enough to eat/drink after this long a time? I'm scared to ask the dr.
i dont know anything about this stuff, but dont be scared to ask the DR anything!! whats the worse that can happen, he will say its not possible and you'll be in the same situation you are in now.
ask questions when u have them!!
I likewise have a prosthesis (obturator) to cover the whole in the roof of my mouth. Granted at this point I still have some teeth that are useful in holding the prosthesis in place, but I am sure my prothodontist has made a similar obturator for those without natural teeth. He mentioned several times that it is important to keep my teeth because it is obviously more difficult without teeth. These comments have me believe that it is possible to do something similar if you didn't have your teeth, I think it is more like dentures and is held with suction. Keep asking and especially ask for a Prothodontist that specializes in reconstruction of the face. Best wishes.
Thank you, Wheels! She had a prosthesis for a good while that they had to modify several times. I agree that the dr. wouldn't have said he could refer her if there wasn't a way to do it w/o teeth currently in. Guess my real question is how long can you go w/o using swallow muscles and still get them back enough to eat or drink. Hope my Mom will go and try for another prosthesis, get therapy for swallowing and show me!!! But she said she's afraid to go. Said she didn't think she could hold her mouth open that long. Said a few other reasons and I saw it on her face. I said you're afraid of going, aren't you and she agreed. I think she's had this long (since last summer) w/o having a fifth recurrence that she's scared if they make it bleed or do anything in there it may bring back the cancer. I don't know. Just trying to understsand and with oral cancer that's a hard thing to do some times.