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Background: Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising new technology for the development of surgical prosthetics. Research in orthopedic surgery has demonstrated that using 3D printed customized prosthetics results in more precise implant placements and better patient outcomes. However, there has been little research on implementing customized 3D printed prosthetics in otolaryngology. The program sought to determine whether computed tomography (CT) serves as feasible templates to construct 3D printed palatal obturator prosthetics for defects in patients who have been treated for head and neck cancers., Observations: A retrospective review of patients with palatal defects was conducted and identified 1 patient with high quality CTs compatible with 3D modeling. CTs of the patient's craniofacial anatomy were used to develop a 3D model and a Formlabs 3B+ printer printed the palatal prosthetic. We successfully developed and produced an individualized prosthetic using CTs from a veteran with head and neck deformities caused by cancer treatment who was previously treated at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. This project was successful in printing patient-specific implants using CT reproductions of the patient's craniofacial anatomy, particularly of the palate. The program was a proof of concept and the implant we created was not used on the patient., Conclusions: Customized 3D printed implants may allow otolaryngologists to enhance the performance and efficiency of surgeries and better rehabilitate and reconstruct craniofacial deformities to restore appearance and function to patients. Additional research will strive to enhance the therapeutic potential of these prosthetics to serve as low-cost, patient-specific implants., Competing Interests: Author disclosures: Sandy Napel receives honoraria from Fovia, Inc. The other authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest or outside sources of funding with regard to this article., (Copyright © 2024 Frontline Medical Communications Inc., Parsippany, NJ, USA.)

Background: Xerostomia, the subjective sensation of dry mouth, contributes to dysarthria, dysphagia, and diminished quality of life. Polypharmacy is a known and modifiable risk factor for xerostomia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dry mouth, the relationship between dry mouth and other oral conditions, and the impact of polypharmacy on dry mouth., Methods: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study of all patients seen in fiscal year (FY) 2015 (October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015) at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), a tertiary care US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. Patients diagnosed with xerostomia were identified using ICD-9 codes (527.7, 527.8, R68.2) and Systemized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) codes (87715008, 78948009)., Results: Of all the patients seen at VAPAHCS during FY 2015, 138 had a diagnostic code for xerostomia; of those patients, 84 had at least 1 documented speech, dentition, or swallowing (SDS) problem, and 55 (39.9%) were taking ≥ 12 medications, more than twice as many patients as in any one of the other groups studied (0-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-11 medications taken). Although 4,971 total patients seen at VAPAHCS had documented SDS problems during FY 2015, of those patients only 77 (1.5%) had an additional recorded diagnosis of xerostomia., Conclusions: Heightened physician awareness regarding the signs and symptoms of and risk factors for xerostomia is needed to improve health care providers' ability to diagnose dry mouth. Polypharmacy also must be considered when developing new strategies for preventing and treating xerostomia., Competing Interests: Author disclosures The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article., (Copyright © 2020 Frontline Medical Communications Inc., Parsippany, NJ, USA.)