[Evaluation of the bite block wedged between the maxillary and mandibular molars]

The purpose of this study was to compare our original bite block (T-X Block) wedged between the maxillary and mandibular molars, with the standard gum bite block, in 200 patients whose tracheas were intubated. During emergence from isoflurane anesthesia, no trouble occurred in T-X Block group (n = 100). On the other hand, lip damage and ejection of the bite block were found in 11 and 10 cases, respectively, in gum bite block group (n = 100). As another study, an opening between the maxillary and mandibular incisor edges was measured with T-X Block placed in twenty patients under general anesthesia. The inter-incisal distances in one way of using it as a smaller wedge and in the other way as a bigger one were 21.6 +/- 2.4 and 25.2 +/- 2.6 mm, respectively. Those values were significantly larger than thickness of the gum bite block. T-X Block is very useful because its use causes no complications and makes it easier to insert a naso-gastric tube as well as to clean the oral cavity with suction by giving a larger opening of the mouth.