Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2025 Nov 1. doi: 10.1007/s00405-025-09797-9. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) following oncologic resection of the soft palate in edentulous patients presents a major clinical challenge, often leading to hypernasal speech, nasal regurgitation, and impaired swallowing. Advances in digital technology have enabled the fabrication of precise and functionally efficient prostheses through computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and three-dimensional (3D) printing.
CASE PRESENTATION: This report describes the prosthodontic rehabilitation of a 68-year-old male with post-radiotherapy soft palate resection using a fully digital workflow to fabricate a 3D-printed complete denture with an integrated speech bulb. Following a conventional preliminary impression, the definitive cast was digitised, and all subsequent stages --including custom tray design, virtual denture base modelling, and prosthesis fabrication --were performed using CAD software and additive manufacturing. The speech bulb extension was digitally contoured to achieve functional velopharyngeal closure. At insertion and during the three-month follow-up, the prosthesis demonstrated excellent adaptation, retention, and comfort, with significant improvement in speech intelligibility, swallowing, and overall quality of life.
CONCLUSION: This case highlights the clinical advantages of integrating digital workflows and 3D printing in maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation, providing a reproducible, minimally invasive, and patient-centred approach for managing velopharyngeal insufficiency following oncologic resection.
PMID:41176567 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-025-09797-9