Year : 2019

Volume : Volume 10

Issue : Issue 3

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Prabal Sharma.
prabalsharma.3@gmail.com

Abstract

Background:  Cleft Lip & Palate (CLP) is a congenital anomaly caused by abnormal facial development during pregnancy. The exact etiology of CLP is still unknown but some of the reasons could be  malnutrition, irradiation, psychological stress, teratogenic agents, viral infections and inheritance. The treatment of a CLP patient is a multidisciplinary approach including complex treatment strategies and long treatment duration. These patients require various treatments provided by a multidisciplinary team which includes a maxillofacial surgeon, an orthodontist, prosthodontist, an ear nose and throat specialist (ENT), speech therapist and all those professionals who can help provide functional and aesthetic improvement. Prosthetic rehabilitation of anterior maxilla in such patients is most important and complex as well. As most of the cleft lip & palate patients demand fixed prosthesis because of better aesthetics, better function and has an obvious psychological impact on these patients. But, the success of a prosthodontic rehabilitation of these patients lies in the retention of a prosthesis. Therefore, a Fixed-removable partial denture are particularly indicated for the patients with such extensive supportive tissue loss and when the alignment of the opposing arches or esthetic arch position create difficulties for placement of a conventional fixed partial denture. This case report highlights the fabrication of a fixedremovable partial denture using the Andrews Bridge philosophy wherein a removable prosthesis is retained by a bar and sleeve attachment to fixed retainers on the either side of an edentulous space.

Keywords: Cleft Lip and Palate, Prosthetic Rehabiliton, Andrew’s Bridge, Edentulous.