A prototype for an economical vertical microstomia orthosis.

One of the complications of thermal injury is the development of scars and contractures during the healing process. This scarring can be devastating, especially when it involves the mouth. The purpose of this report is to describe the construction of an alternative vertical mouth stretching orthosis for vertical microstomia. By using thermoplastic splinting material and a long thread screw, a vertical mouth-stretching orthosis can be custom-fit to any patient's mouth. The device can be fabricated for a pediatric or adult patient for the rehabilitation of a circumferential mouth burn, especially targeting the vertical diameter. When using this device, patients gave positive feedback for comfort and ease of use, with increased mouth mobility and range of motion. This vertical orthotic device provides an economical and comfortable alternative for vertical mouth diameter enlargement to the current five devices available in the literature.