CCA Adhesives & Retention Systems 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary adhesive type used for securing craniofacial prostheses to facial skin?
- Cyanoacrylate-based adhesives
- Medical-grade silicone adhesives (Correct answer)
- Epoxy-based adhesives
- Polyurethane-based adhesives
Correct answer: Medical-grade silicone adhesives
Medical-grade silicone adhesives are the standard of care for craniofacial prostheses due to their biocompatibility, flexibility, and compatibility with silicone prosthetic materials.
Question 2: Which property of a prosthetic adhesive is MOST important for patient comfort and long-term skin health during extended daily wear?
- High tensile strength
- Rapid cure time
- Vapor permeability (Correct answer)
- Optical clarity
Correct answer: Vapor permeability
Vapor permeability allows moisture and perspiration to escape through or around the adhesive layer, preventing skin maceration and breakdown beneath the prosthesis.
Question 3: What is the recommended application method for medical adhesive when fitting a facial prosthesis?
- Brush application to the prosthesis margin only
- Spray application to the entire skin surface
- Application to both the prosthesis margin and the corresponding skin area, allowing each coat to become tacky (Correct answer)
- Injection into the prosthesis-skin interface after placement
Correct answer: Application to both the prosthesis margin and the corresponding skin area, allowing each coat to become tacky
Applying adhesive to both the prosthesis margin and the skin, then allowing each coat to become tacky before joining, creates a stronger contact bond and optimal retention.
Question 4: Which solvent is most commonly recommended for removing medical-grade silicone adhesive residue from facial skin?
- Acetone
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Medical adhesive remover (silicone solvent-based) (Correct answer)
- Soap and water alone
Correct answer: Medical adhesive remover (silicone solvent-based)
Dedicated medical adhesive removers formulated with silicone-compatible solvents are most effective and least irritating for dissolving silicone-based adhesive residue from skin.
Question 5: Which factor MOST adversely affects adhesive bond strength in facial prosthetic retention?
- Low ambient temperature
- Skin oils, perspiration, and surface moisture (Correct answer)
- High altitude environments
- Dark skin pigmentation
Correct answer: Skin oils, perspiration, and surface moisture
Skin oils, perspiration, and moisture create a barrier between the adhesive and the skin surface, significantly reducing bond strength and causing premature prosthesis detachment.
Question 6: Which retention alternative is MOST appropriate for a patient with documented severe contact allergy to all tested medical-grade adhesives?
- Increased adhesive concentration to shorten contact time
- Osseointegrated implant-retained magnetic or bar-clip system (Correct answer)
- Double-sided hypoallergenic foam tape
- Cyanoacrylate spot-bonding at the prosthesis periphery
Correct answer: Osseointegrated implant-retained magnetic or bar-clip system
An osseointegrated implant-retained system eliminates the need for skin contact adhesives entirely, making it the definitive solution for patients with adhesive allergy.
Question 7: During patient education, the anaplastologist explains that medical adhesive should be allowed to become 'tacky' before joining surfaces. This stage is technically described as:
- Polymerization
- Open time (Correct answer)
- Gel phase
- Cohesive failure
Correct answer: Open time
Open time refers to the interval after application during which the solvent evaporates and the adhesive reaches optimal tack for bonding — joining surfaces during this window yields maximum bond strength.
CCA Adhesives & Retention Systems 1
What is the primary adhesive type used for securing craniofacial prostheses to facial skin?