Single-visit hollow obturators for edentulous patients.

A method of fabricating a simple hollow obturator for edentulous patients was described. This procedure can be accomplished in a single office visit using readily available materials. The use of a relatively long-lasting soft reline material for obturators allows stable, comfortable, and effective obturation for many edentulous patients with recently created maxillary defects (Fig. 6). The hollow prosthesis is lightweight and sufficiently flexible to allow relatively simple placement in retentive undercut regions. Direct finger placement of the material insures complete duplication of all desired tissue undercuts. The soft reline material may also serve as a final impression of the defect when fabrication of the definitive prosthesis is undertaken.