The maxillary immediate surgical obturator prosthesis.

The use of the maxillary immediate surgical obturator prosthesis has become the standard of care for patients undergoing maxillectomies at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A protocol of treatment is described that includes preoperative, operative, and postoperative guidelines that have yielded predictably successful results. The objectives of such treatment include support and protection for the surgical dressing, improvement of speech and deglutition, and a psychologic boost for the patient's self-image.