Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results ¦ Volume 13 ¦ Special Issue 10 ¦ 2022 2212 Futuristic Rehabilitation Technique Of Acquired Maxillectomy Defect In Post Covid19 Mucormycosis Using Polyether Ether Ketone Obturator Prosthesis- A Case Report Dr. Anshul Trivedi 1* , Dr. Saumya Agarwal 2 , Dr.Apoorva Mowar 3 , Dr. Roma Goswami 4 , Dr. Manjulika Tyagi 5 1* Associate Professor Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Subharti Dental College and Hospital Swami Vivekanand Subharti University Email: dranshulmsaxena@gmail.com 2 Consultant Prosthodontist Bangalore. Email: saumya.aga13@gmail.com 3 Professor Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Subharti Dental College and Hospital Swami Vivekanand Subharti University Email:drmowarapoorva@gmail.com 4 Professor and Head Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Subharti Dental College and Hospital Swami Vivekananda Subharti University Email:romagoswami@rediffmail.com 5 Assistant Professor Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Subharti Dental College and Hospital Swami Vivekananda Subharti University Email: manjulikatyagi@gmail.com *Corresponding Author: Dr. Anshul Trivedi *Associate Professor Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Subharti Dental College and Hospital Swami Vivekanand Subharti University Email:dranshulmsaxena@gmail.com DOI: 10.47750/pnr.2022.13.S10.258 Background: Oroantral communication can occur due to maxillectomy defects, jeopardizing the integrity and function of oral cavity. It is an interdisciplinary challenge to restore these by surgery and prosthetics since many facets need to be addressed, such as speech, deglutition, mastication, aesthetics and psychological distress. Rationale: Surgical repair of maxillectomy defects is not always achievable due to various reasons such as poor systemic health, advanced age etc. Thus prosthetic rehabilitation becomes the most suitable treatment option. Relevance for Patients: Post COVID-19 mucormycosis has seen a surge in the past two years. It is an opportunistic fungal infection in humans infecting intracranial structures by direct invasion in the blood stream. Fundamental goal of prosthetic rehabilitation is the closure of oronasal communication and restoring it functionally thereby improving quality of life for the patient. CAD/CAM (computer aided design/computer aided milling) technology was employed to fabricate a milled framework for maxillary obturator in the most innovative way using PEEK (Polyether ether ketone). Results: PEEK material due to its excellent biocompatibility ensured a light weight prosthesis for the large maxillectomy defect and closure of the patency was achieved by the obturator framework. Keywords- 3D printing, CAD/CAM, oronasal communication, definitive obturator, prosthesis, technique 1. INTRODUCTION Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disorder caused by coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome. WHO announced COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11th March 2020 and reported more than 219 million cases globally. [1] Mucormycosis is caused by fungi Phycomycetes known to cause fatal mycotic infections and high mortality among humans. Its common form known as rhinocerebral mucormycosis invades immunocompromised individuals causing necrotizing ulceration of palate or palatal perforation with a blackish slough and exposure of bone. [2] Common symptoms of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis are of varying degree such as runny nose, facial swelling, orofacial pain, low to high grade fever, headache, blurred vision due to proptosis and involvement of orbital contents. Dental manifestations include tooth mobility, destruction of periodontal tissue, black necrotic bone tissue along with the formation of oro-nasal/oro-antral communication. [3] Resection of maxilla due to such infections leads to facial asymmetry, impaired functions like mastication, deglutition, articulation and a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. [4] Post COVID-19 sepsis and corticosteroid treatment in these highly susceptible hosts exposed individuals to mycotic infections. First line of treatment included antifungal medications along with surgical debridement or resection of infected tissues. [4] Original Article Abstract