Fabrication of maxillary complete prosthesis for a patient with microstomia: Report of a case

Introduction: Microstomia signifies any significant decrease in the size of the oral aperture. The etiology might include disease, trauma, burns and surgical complications in the peri-oral areas. This article describes a practical method for the treatment of a maxillary-edentulous patient with severe microstomia.Materials and Methods: The patient was a 40-year-old woman who was completely edentulous in the maxilla, with severe microstomia. Due to reduced mouth opening, all the clinical procedures, from selection of a prefabricated tray for initial impression to designing the final prosthesis, are difficult and it is impossible to use a conventional impression tray and denture in such patients. Implant treatment was not possible for the patient because of financial problems; therefore, complete denture was the best choice. A sectional denture that can be worn and removed easily can be a treatment of choice for such patients. The primary impression in this patient was taken by a sectional tray and putty and wash. The special 2-sectional tray was fabricated for the patient. Then a 2-sectional denture was fabricated by ball attachment and finally was assembled in her mouth by palatal strap frame. In the first fallow-up of the patient after 1 year, she was satisfied with the esthetic and function of the denture, in addition to proper fit and stability of denture, without any traumatic injuries.Results: Sectional dentures that are easily worn and removed can be successfully used for the treatment of patients with microstomia.Conclusion: Complete denture, Impression technique, Microstomia. Key words: Complete denture, Impression technique, Microstomia