2009 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 32-48
A questionnaire survey on the scope of clinical practice for maxillofacial prosthetics in Japan was carried out, and on the scope of work perceived by maxillofacial prosthetics specialists to be their responsibility.
The questionnaire was sent to four types of institutions related to maxillofacial prosthetics treatment: 1. Oral and maxillofacial surgery-related institution in dental school, 2. Dental prosthetics in dental school, 3. Oral and maxillofacial surgery in medical school, and 4. Oral and maxillofacial surgery in regional secondary hospitals.
Prosthetics works in the human body are categorized as follows: a） oral, extra-stitial, b） oral, intra-stitial, c） pharyngeal, extra-stitial, d） pharyngeal, intra-stitial, e） maxillofacial, extra-stitial, f） facial, epi-stitial, g） head and neck, extra-stitial, h） head and neck, intra-stitial, i） other than head and neck, extra-stitial, j） other than head and neck, intra-stitial.
The questionnaire was sent to 209 specialists, and responses were received from 105 （50.0％）. From the answers, categories a） and b） were actually treated by 80％ of respondents, c） was performed by 50％, and e） by 60％.
The scope of treatment varied among the four types of institute. The majority of institutes consider category g） or less as their responsibility.
Maxillofacial prosthetics should be more closely related with other specialties like proplastology.
