Mouth protectors: oclusal guards, splints for patients in critical condition. Experience at the Instituto Nacional de Pediatria

Mouth protectors and oclusal guards are devices designed in order to protect the hard and soft oral tissues especially in cases of sports injuries; in the physical therapy of the temporomandibular joint as well as to stabilize teeth, bones and soft tissues fabrics acting as splints. However there are some critically ill patients in whom the use of the mouth protectors, oclusal guards and rods it goes beyond the purpose for which they were devised, such is the case of children with neurological damage, with spasticity, anxiety, bruxism; patients who require ventilatory support for some specific reason and who bite the cannulas; children with neurological syndromes who self inflict their oral soft tissues; patients in coma who do not respond to physical stimuli; patient with dermatological and other syndromes in whom the placement of a device is mandatory in order to protect the tissues and the medical devices, etc. These devices have a pre-established design, but the creativity of the operator should determinate the shape and the features for these protectors. The purpose of this article is to report our experience on the design of mouth devices for specific situations in the National Institute of Pediatrics, nevertheless the preparation, the knowledge and the creativity of the dental practitioners is the limit.