Flexible and sectional complete dentures with magnetic retention for a patient with microstomia – a case report

Microstomia is the congenital, developmental or acquired reduction in size of the oral aperture to a degree where function and aesthetics are compromised. Causes include:

Treatment often involves oral opening devices and, less commonly, surgery, however, the majority of microstomia-related diseases are irreversible and/or progressive and therefore patients are often left with functional and aesthetic impairments.

Provision of removable prostheses for such patients is challenging due to the reduced elasticity and altered anatomy of the oral tissues. Furthermore, restricted oral opening can make it considerably difficult, if not impossible, for patients to insert and remove conventional dentures. The utilization of modern flexible materials and use of sectional denture design can help overcome these problems.

The patient presented with surgically induced microstomia following treatment for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lower lip using a bilateral Karapandzic flap resection and reconstruction (Figures 1–3). Successful dental rehabilitation was achieved using maxillary and mandibular complete sectional dentures with flexible substructures and rigid superstructures retained by magnets (Figures 4–7).