Eating may be difficult for individuals with maxillofacial prostheses because of bone defects and decrease of retention.
The purpose of this study was to assess qualitative nutritional changes in maxillofacial prosthesis wearers after nutritional counseling by dieticians.
Ten post-maxillectomy patients with maxillofacial prosthesis were selected for the study. Three-day food diaries with photographs were evaluated before and after two sessions of nutritional counseling. Daily nutritional adequacy was assessed using the following parameters: total energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamin C. Prosthodontic assessments were made based on masticatory performance, maximum occlusal force, and baseline mastication score. Each subject had an initial nutritional assessment followed by an individual nutritional counseling session with a dietician, based on that assessment. A second nutritional assessment was performed 1 week after the counseling session. All data were analyzed with SPSS 19.0 statistical software.
Total energy and carbohydrate intake were adequate, while protein and vitamin C intake were more than 20％ above requirements for most subjects at the initial assessment. Four individuals had excessive fat intake.
After nutritional counseling, total energy and fat intake declined significantly.
We concluded that nutritional counseling by a dietician qualitatively changed the nutritional status of maxillofacial prosthesis wearers.
