surgical obturator

English focus texts

Definition from Glossary

A temporary maxillofacial prosthesis inserted during or immediately following surgical or traumatic loss of a portion or all of one or both maxillary bones and contiguous alveolar structures (i.e. gingival tissue, teeth). Frequent revisions of surgical obturators are necessary during the ensuing healing phase (approximately six months). Some dentists prefer to replace many or all teeth removed by the surgical procedure with the surgical obturator, while others do not replace any teeth. Further surgical revisions may require fabrication of another surgical obturator (i.e., an initially planned small defect may be revised and greatly enlarged after the final pathologic report indicates margins are not free of tumor)—see INTERIM OBTURATOR

Pronunciation
sûr′ji˘-kal o˘b′ta-rā′tor