RESUMEN
PURPOSE: After marsupialization of benign tumors and jawbone cysts, insertion of an obturator prosthesis maintains the surgical opening and improves hygiene. To date, there have been no reports clarifying the relationship between the obturator design and treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the survival rate of three types of obturator, and to investigate the factors that expedite the removal of the obturator. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subject group comprised 100 patients who had an obturator inserted after marsupialization at Kagoshima University Hospital between May 31, 2012 and March 31, 2015; 73 patients with lesions in the mandible were eligible. Three types of mandibular obturator were designed and inserted, considering the teeth missing, the anteroposterior position of the lesion, and the buccolingual direction of marsupialization. The endpoint of this study was defined as the removal of the obturator. The analyzed predictor values for the endpoint were age, gender, remaining teeth, nature of primary disease, anteroposterior location of primary disease, buccolingual direction of marsupialization, type of obturator, and dates of insertion and removal. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the cumulative survival rate among the three types of obturator. Early obturator removal was more frequent in patients with cysts, anterior lesions, and/or marsupialization from the occlusal direction CONCLUSIONS: Because obturator design had minimal effect on the ability of the appliance to maintain the surgical opening, it is preferable to use the least invasive design. Our findings also suggest that the follow-up examination should account for the type of primary disease, the anteroposterior location of the lesion, and the buccolingual direction of marsupialization.