Treatment of self-induced trauma in a patient with cerebral palsy

Factitious illness can be a problem for disabled patients who experience recurrent trauma or irritation to a particular part of the body. In this case, the patient's recurring lip trauma combined with his overlying physical disability presented a problem not easily solved with prior methods of treating lip trauma. Modifying the standard orthodontic appliance solved the problem; after a short period of use, the patient dropped the harmful habit that caused the lip trauma. The appliance was no longer needed.