Abstract
The aim of this study was to conduct research on the present status of dento-maxillary prosthetic treatment for patients with maxillary defects in Japan.
The questionnaire was sent to 450 institutions. Out of 450 institutions, 137 answered the questionnaire. Eighty-eight institutions had patients who were treated with dento-maxillary prostheses. A totally of 2,542 cases with maxillary defects were treated in these 88 institutions in the last 5 years.
Four institutions answered that fabrication for dento-maxillary prostheses needed less than 4 treatment steps, 39 institutions answered 5 steps, 31 institutions answered 6 to 7 steps, and 11 institutions answered more than 8 steps.
Fifteen institutions answered that 1.5 times more material was used in the fabrication of dento-maxillary prostheses compared with conventional removable maxillary dentures, and 70 institutions answered that greater than 2.0 times more material was needed. Twenty-two institutions answered that fabrication of dento-maxillary prostheses needed 1.5 times the working hours compared with conventional removable maxillary dentures, and sixty-two institutions answered more than 2 times.
The greatest problem of prosthetic treatment for maxillary defects is the low treatment fee of these procedures in spite of the amount of work required, amount of material and long treatment time to fabricate dento-maxillary prostheses.
