Facial prosthetics: techniques used in the retention of prostheses following ablative cancer surgery or trauma and for congenital defects.

The retention of facial prostheses is a major factor influencing the successful outcome of rehabilitative treatment following ablative cancer surgery or trauma and for the prosthetic replacement of congenitally absent tissue. Since the sixteenth century to the present day, facial prosthetic devices have been retained by methods including adhesives and spectacle frames. The introduction of the Branemark extra oral implant system enhanced the stability of life-like prostheses thus giving patients more confidence in their use. This paper outlines the retention systems commonly used at the authors unit and the benefits gained by the use of implants to retain facial prostheses. The use of a single stage surgical technique instead of the usual two stage procedure is detailed.