Splint therapy is an effective form of treatment for the pain of many types of temporomandibular disorders and bruxism. There are many unanswered questions as to how splints work. This article is a review of the literature which focuses on an effective splint design for the different degrees of temporomandibular problems.

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Patients with cleft palate undergo various problems. The management of these patients by prosthesis has been a challenge for many years. Rehabilitation with prosthetic treatment helps patient psychologically to increases their selfesteem, and work to lead a normal life. A basic knowledge on managing these patients makes prosthodontist better equipped in handling emergencies if they arise. Hence, this review article addresses literature on the historical background, prevalence, etiology of the cleft palatal defect and the prosthodontic approaches available for rehabilitation.

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Introduction: The soft palate acts as a dynamic separator between the oral and nasal cavity. The soft palate, lateral and posterior pharyngeal walls form the velopharyngeal closure so that all of them create a three-dimensional muscular valve, which is known as velopharyngeal sphincter. When some or all of the anatomic structure of the soft palate is congenitally missing or developmentally defective, it is called as palatopharyngeal insufficiency. The palatopharyngeal obturator obturates the defect of the soft palate and maintains the contact of the prosthesis with the posterior and lateral walls of the pharynx. This in turn restores the function of the palatopharyngeal obturation. Aim: The aim of this article is to describe a simple and convenient method to rehabilitate a patient with multiple palatal openings and defects using speech aid prosthesis. Case report: A 45-year-old male patient reported to the Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Hasanamba Dental College & Hospital Hassan, Karnataka, India with complaint of difficulty in swallowing and speech. On intraoral examination, a large soft palate defect was evident extending up to hard palate and maxillary anterior vestibular defect and a fissure connecting them. Maxillary arch was completely edentulous except two teeth in the posterior region. A hollow bulb speech aid prosthesis was fabricated to rehabilitate the defect. Conclusion: This palatopharyngeal obturator improved the speech intelligence and corrected nasal regurgitation. It also improved the masticatory efficacy and appearance of the patient. This in turn resulted in psychological improvement of the patient. Clinical significance: A hollow bulb speech aid prosthesis is a good option for patients who are not willing to undergo surgery. It rehabilitates nasal regurgitation and speech intelligency.