DYNASPLINT SYSTEM or Other Systems. Has anyone used such a system and do you think it helped. Insurance will not pay so I will have to purchase system for aprx $ 400.00. Thank You

Frank:

There was a post a while back about the Dynasplint by William Doaier. Unfortunately he didnt update on if he got one and if it worked or not. I have just started the therabite so dont know yet if it is working.

Previously I had been doing stretching exercises and using tongue depressors to open my mouth. With the tongue depressors, take 2 (or a few more if you are able to comfortably) and keep sliding another one in between the depressors until your jaw begins to stretch. Hold it for 7 seconds, do it 7 times per day, 7 exercises each time.

I do have a very positive outlook that the therabite is what it will take to fix my trismus. I also do HBO, speech therapy and physical therapy. I will update in a little while if I see any improvements.

thank you for your imput. I do plan on getting one of these systems to help with the opening of my mouth at present I can open arpx 2 1/2 inches..Frank

I have had limited experience with the Dynasplint device and will explain further. This device/procedure was prescribed by my Oral Surgeon whose care I'm still under with my Trismus problem. I underwent an oral surgery procedure back in January of this year and during March was fitted with the Dynasplint. I used it daily as prescribed and began to notice slight improvement but his a snag in April. I managed to develop an infection on the left side of my jaw area that was somehow related to my January surgery. This in turn led to a situation where I had to suspend use of the Dynasplint due to the pain and in turn had to see my Oral Surgeon for an emergency visit. He sent me across the street to Emory Hospital for a CT scan with the immediate results showing severe infection on my left side jaw area. I was then wheeled across the street again to the hospital and admitted. I was on the waiting list for an OR and then underwent surgery beginning around 10:30 that same evening. The infection problem was treated and I spent 2 more days in the hospital. My OS then had me to discontinue use of the Dynasplint which I had been using for a total of about 6 weeks. I am now only able to open my mouth 16mm per my August visit to the OS and he plans to now do surgery in mid-October. He explained what will have to be done to get my mouth open again and says I should be able to open 30 to 35mm following the surgery. This is the best I will ever be able to do although I'm told that such an opening should give me pretty much all I need. Normal for an adult male is 45 to 50mm I am told.

I just didn't have the Dynasplint long enough to relay a clear opinion that might help anyone. It was quite expensive for the limited time I had it and it is a situation whereby you actually rent the device as opposed to buying it. My insurance covered all of the cost which I believe worked out to be around $400 per month.

Bill D.

I still use my Therabite, it has been helping me. It was a one time cost of $400 or something like that, where, I had to rent the dynasplint monthly for like $100. It helped but you have to be careful if you have veneers, etc.....Carol

Bill:

Wow, Im so sorry to hear of your difficulties. Its such a shame when excellent progress is seen and then you slide backwards. Its very frustrating to face the new normal. Do you use tongue depressors? I use them but not the way they are normally used. My physical therapist has me put them in each side of my mouth, not just in thru the front teeth. Maybe you would be ok with doing it that way to help stretch. Do you have alot of scar tissue?

A bite range of 16mm isnt bad at all. 30mm is great. I am back down to only 4mm now. I had gone from a 4 to 14mm and had a really bad week so went all the way back to the 4mm. Female normal bite range is 35-38, Ive been told by 2 people I may one day get to be 20mm and they said dont expect to get much past that.

I will finish my 50 HBO dives soon. Im also working with an excellent physical therapist who works my jaw with her hands. My speech therapist is helpful with working with the therabite with me.


I truly do feel your pain, lets all three not give up and keep trying . Best of luck to both of you Bill and Carol.

my dr today spoke of the dynasplint and said it can be purchased or rented. he is working on getting one for me shortly ... they do not have a rep on this side of the country but the rep from somewhere else met him at a conference last week and is supposed to be coming back to set something up to make them available here for us ... he said he likes the method dynasplint uses over therabite because it breaks down the bands of tissue that build up and constrict the bite where the therabite just stretches... he said while both are a help, his training at md anderson was for the method used by dynasplint.

i stretch with my fingers and also use tongue depressors - not sure of how wide the opening is but i can usually get in 15 or 16 tongue depressors now so it isn't too bad but still a bit restrictive on eating some things so want to get it better than this if i am able and will continue trying.

Rita:

If you are able to get 15 or 16 depressors in between your teeth I am jealous! I am recently again using the Dynasplint device after using it for just a few weeks earlier this year as referenced above in my earlier posting. I have now been back on it for just under 2 weeks but have already gained 2 to 3mm's for a total of 18mm at the moment. That is only about 3/4 inch but I welcome it after what I have been dealing with. The biggest problem I have is being able to essentially sit still for 3 different 30 minute periods during the day to use the device properly. Feel free to ask if you have any questions and I'll be happy to respond if I can answer.

Bill D.