What are four devices that can help my mouth opening after head & neck cancer?
Oct 04, 2022
Following radiation treatment for head & neck cancer to the base of tongue, tonsil, nasopharyngeal and other oropharyngeal tumors trismus is a common side effect. There are devices that therapist use to help with opening the mouth. These devices can be ordered or created by your therapist who is trained to evaluate and trismus.
The four devices that can be used to help open my mouth are:
1. ARKJ
2. Orastretch
3. Therabite
4. Jaw Clamp
I select my patient's device based on several factors: age, cost, insurance benefits and coverage as well as timing and history of their treatment. The ARKJ device is a device created by a skilled clinician who has taken higher level education to learn how to evaluate and treat your side effects. This device is created through the use of tongue depressors and is then individualized based on several factors.
The selection of a device is also individualized based on if any flaps are located in the oral cavity combined with assessment of dentition and pain levels.
