Functional appliance therapy to control drooling: a case of a child with mental retardation.
A 12 year old male child with mental retardation was referred to the department of Pedodontics and Preventive Children Dentistry, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, with a complaint of severe drooling. Mouth closure exercises and speech therapy had failed to control the problem. The patient was given a functional appliance and a significant reduction in the severity of the drooling and reduction in the foul odor was found. Despite its limitations functional appliance therapy could serve as a useful alternative to the use of drugs or surgery in the control of drooling.
Pani
Sharat Chandra
SC
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Children Dentistry, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Hegde
Amitha M
AM
D002648:Child; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants / Q000517:prevention & control; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D017289:Orthodontic Appliances, Functional; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014061:Tongue Habits