I also still suffer from Trismus but have about gotten used to it. I can now open 27mm which my Oral Surgeon says is about half or just over normal for an adult male. I had the best overall results using the wooden tongue depressors. My OS had me doing the exercise 3 times per day, 30 minutes each time. I did it for well over a year and was able to stretch from 11mm to the current 27 but frankly just got tired of dealing with it. I have learned to live with 27mm and can eat most things without a problem. I have learned to eat hamburgers with a knife and fork as well as hot dogs on buns. I also can now enjoy a Subway sub again since they now offer flatbread as an option! I do have to first mash it down between my hands before trying to eat.

Good luck,

Bill Dozier


Dx 4/27/06, SCC, BOT, Stage III/IV, Tx 5/25/06 through 7/12/06 - 33 IMRT and 4 chemo, radical right side neck dissection 9/20/06.