Oral health services for adult rehabilitation patients: three illustrative cases.

Recent research has shown that the actual capability of physical medicine and rehabilitation units to provide oral health services is less than the need as perceived by rehabilitation administrators. Three cases have been selected to illustrate the nature and diversity of health benefits that can be provided by a complete oral health service which focuses on rehabilitation patients. The advantages of offering a comprehensive oral health service include not only improvement of the oral health of the patient but also often directly aids the patients' achievement of overall rehabilitation goals. Furthermore, by synergistic interaction with the other rehabilitation disciplines, an oral health service can appreciably enhance the quality and the scope of the rehabilitation program itself. Additionally, a new adaptive device for oral grasping, designed for use by patients who lack the use of their upper extremities, is illustrated. The device is intended to provide the patient with a range of functions including recreational participation in board games as well as vocational activities which require the lifting or grasping of objects.