Introduction à la prothèse maxillofaciale

The authors propose a necessary clarification about the eventual indications to a problem caused by the reconstruction of important maxillofacial defects. Prosthetic rehabilitation appears to be considered as an interesting alternative, in complementary with surgical reconstruction. After a wide definition of maxillofacial prosthesis, an appropriate terminology is defined within the context of a surgical-prosthetic symbiosis. The sphere of activity and different prosthesis possibilities are considered before proposing indications as well for the surgical reconstruction as for the prosthesis.