Application of Hydroxyapatite-Coated Implants as Support for Palatal Lift Prostheses in Edentulous Patients With Cleft Palate: A Clinical Report

A palatal lift prosthesis (PLP) is a prosthetic speech aid used to compensate for palatopharyngeal incompetence. However, it requires dental abutments to facilitate its function. In two edentulous patients with cleft palate, hydroxyapatite-coated dental implants were used to increase PLP retention. In both cases, palatopharyngeal closure was obtained and PLP function was deemed effective, as determined by speech evaluation and nasal air flow measurements, for more than 3 years. This treatment is useful for enhancing the retention of a PLP in patients who have few or no remaining natural tooth abutments. Keywords: cleft palate, dental implant, palatal lift prosthesis