Spring-loaded custom tray: An alternative technique for recording impressions in a patient with a restricted mouth opening

For patients with extensive head and neck injuries due to trauma and/or who have had extensive surgical procedures, the ability to open the mouth is severely limited. Prosthodontic treatment of these patients often leads to compromised impressions and prostheses. When making an impression, a wide mouth opening is necessary to ensure both proper tray insertion and the correct alignment during border molding procedures. For patients with a restricted mouth opening, it may be necessary to modify the standard impression procedure to fabricate a prosthesis successfully. This article describes an alternative method for fabricating a custom impression tray for a complete denture in patients with limited mouth opening abilities. Published with permission by the Academy of General Dentistry.