A retainer-free obturator prosthesis in a fully dentulous patient with palatal defects.

Retainers are the most important component in the success of an obturator prosthesis. However, the optimal retainer design for a fully dentulous patient with palatal defect needs four widely separated retainers-resulting in unsatisfactory esthetics-and regulates engagement of deep undercuts of the defect cavity, which leads to an inadequate palatal seal. A new retainer-free obturator prosthesis that closes only the defect cavity and is retained by undercuts within the defect was designed and proved useful for problems caused by a clasp-retained obturator prosthesis for a fully dentulous patient with palatal defects.