I was treated at UCLA and had surgery which involved removal of 6 teeth and the palate and I don't know that I ever realized there might be an option.
The surgery removed all the cancer up to the margins and that was 1 1/2 years ago and it didn't return there. I have worked extensively since that time with a prosthodontist to created the several obturators, temporary, intermediate and the final (forgot the names of the several stages). They are very skilled in adapting it to the mouth as tissues change. I never had radiation in that area and it has not returned to that area. But new cancers did appear on the lower jaw and for those I had radiation. Don't know if that was the best decision. My
QOL definitely changed in that I can't eat regular food, purees and liquids but part of that is due to the subsequent cancers complicating things. The obturator is easy to use because they can adapt it. Yes, I did stretching exercises to reduce trismus. I find I can eat puree foods without the obturator but it is essential to better speech. Good luck.