Importance of CAD/CAM technologies in ectoprosthetics of the maxillofacial area (literature review)

Relevance. In patients suffering from defects in the organs of the maxillofacial region, often the most acute problem is not so much the problem of dysfunction, but rather unsatisfactory aesthetics. The loss of a particular organ of the maxillofacial region leads in many cases to become the cause of persistent disorders on the part of psychoemotional problems [1-3]. In the modern world, the face is the main "visiting card" of a person, most attracting attention from the people around him. The presence of one or another defect in the maxillofacial region forms a number of psychological problems in the patient, causing a feeling of shame from his inferior appearance. Materials and methods. The literature analysis of the applied methods of ectoprosthetics in the maxillofacial region was carried out. Results and discussion. Comparing the traditional and computer methods of making facial epitheses, one should note a common similarity - the laboriousness of the process, which requires an excellent understanding of the anatomy of the maxillofacial region, fluency in computer software. Having analyzed a large amount of foreign literature, I would like to emphasize that the success of the performed ectoprosthetics largely depends on a clear and complete visualization of the clinical picture as a whole, without focusing on a specific organ. This is the key condition for creating a harmonious aesthetics of the face and the entire appearance of the patient after the treatment as a whole. The restored harmonious appearance of the patient's face will allow for faster adaptation in society. Currently, it is not possible to unambiguously determine the best method. A decrease in the speed of production and the optional availability of medical education, according to a number of authors [4, 5, 16, 18, 19], are the motive for the choice and widespread introduction of CAD/CAM technologies, while some scientists [28] doubt their effectiveness. However, it is worth remembering that the result of the treatment is important for the patient, not the method itself, and only this is the result of his final assessment.