Key Points
Having read this article, the reader will:
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Appreciate the contribution of Pierre Fauchard to the development of the modern practice of maxillofacial prosthodontics.
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Appreciate the historical difficulties experienced by patients suffering from defects of the hard and soft palate.
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Appreciate the historical challenges faced by dental practitioners when rehabilitating patients with defects of the hard and soft palate.
Abstract
The design and fabrication of oral appliances to replace parts of the palate missing due to congenital defects or lost through tumours, infection or trauma has been a considerable challenge for clinicians throughout the history of dentistry. Significant advances were made during the eighteenth century towards resolving the problem of constructing satisfactory obturators by the first 'surgeon-dentist', Pierre Fauchard. This paper reviews his innovative designs.
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References
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Lynch, C., MacGillycuddy, C. & O'Sullivan, V. Pierre Fauchard and his rôle in the development of obturators. Br Dent J 199, 603–605 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4812926
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4812926
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