[Epitheses of the face].

Despite progress in maxillofacial cancer surgery, most patients present disfiguration of their faces. External prostheses are a pleasing alternative to camouflaging maxillofacial mutilations after tumor ablation. Established indications for external prosthesis are: 1. the patient refusing soft-tissue reconstruction, 2. patient's multimorbidity, and, 3. the impossibility of fully reconstructing a specific maxillofacial defect. Consequently, the benefits of applying external prosthesis include the simple camouflage of an unsightly tumor defect, the ease in supervising any possible local tumor growth beneath the external prosthesis as well as helping to prevent patient's isolation. Thus, external prostheses are a good option in the rehabilitation of maxillofacial surgery patients.