Prosthetic functional therapy. A new method for rehabilitation of the orally handicapped patient

A new approach to the rehabilitation of individuals who are orally handicapped after surgery offers direct support to dysfunctioning oral musculature, as well as physiologic conditioning to redirect tongue posture. Prosthetic functional therapy can be used to improve problems of speech, swallowing, drooling, and mastication in cases where structural loss of neuromuscular impairment have affected the functional competence of oral tissues. Patients who experience this therapy become highly motivated to succeed in rehabilitation as a result of a positive feedback that is provided by improvement in functional competence. Patients express both satisfaction and comfort and tend to progress favorably in the course of therapy.