A variety of techniques and equipments are available to retain a
maxillofacial prosthesis. To choose the right retentive aid, the
prosthodontist needs to be familiar with all available options. Many a
times the patient is unable to chose a prosthesis design and its
retentive aids due to his ignorance about the field and his mental state
after a passing through a traumatic phase an ablative surgery or
accident. In such a situation the prosthodontist carries the
responsibility to plan the prosthetic rehabilitation that suits the
patient in the long run. Being a part of the total team to treat a
patient with maxillofacial defect, the prosthodontist offers valuable
input on surgical treatment planning, advising the surgeon on the useful
tissue contours that will be most retentive or receptive for a
prosthetic device or the tissue that will compromise the prognosis of
the prosthesis.