Modified impression technique for extreme mouth-opening limitation caused by systemic scleroderma

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Rheumatology
• Autoimmune Diseases

Background:

• Systemic scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease causing tissue hardening and organ impairment.
• Limited mouth opening (trismus) is a common oral manifestation, complicating dental procedures.
• Accurate dental impressions are crucial for effective prosthodontic rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an alternative dental impression technique for a patient with systemic scleroderma and severe mouth-opening limitation.
• To demonstrate successful oral rehabilitation with a removable partial prosthesis.

Main Methods:

• Development of an individualized impression tray with specific design features for limited access.
• Utilizing the custom tray to capture accurate dental arch impressions.
• Fabrication and placement of a maxillary removable partial prosthesis.

Main Results:

• The alternative impression technique successfully obtained accurate casts despite severe mouth-opening limitation.
• The patient received a well-fitting removable partial prosthesis, enabling oral rehabilitation.
• The technique avoided injury to oral tissues during the impression procedure.

Conclusions:

• An individualized impression tray is an effective solution for dental rehabilitation in scleroderma patients with trismus.
• This technique ensures accurate impressions and successful prosthetic outcomes.
• It highlights the importance of adapting dental procedures to specific patient limitations.