The evolution of the obturator framework design

This brief overview of the progress and evolution of philosophies of obturator framework designs was accomplished by hand, as well as via Medline. It begins in 1530 AD with Ambrose Pare ́ who described the first button-shaped sponge and metal obturator, and continues through the formation of the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics and the development of the specialty. It concludes with a simplified discussion of complex surgical-prosthetic coordination and the use of vascularized free flaps with osseointegrated dental implants. (J Prosthet Dent 2003;89:608-10.) Man’s need for artificial replacement of missing body parts undoubtedly dates back as far as humanity itself. Over the centuries, people have used their creativ-ity and have adapted the available materials for use in prosthetic restoration. The earliest attempts at obturator construction are credited to Ambrose Pare ́ who, around 1530, described button-shaped obturators made of metal and sponge.1 As so often happens, Pare ́ may not have been the first t