Introduction:Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue disease generally
classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic diseasesCase Presentation:A 58-year-old woman was informed of her scleroderma, while receiving oral prosthetic
rehabilitation. Mouth opening limitation had unfortunately led to treatment
interruption. The psychological load of the disease itself, along with dental treatment
cessation, resulted in patient’s disappointment and social separation. Three hypnosis
sessions were conducted for normalizing patient’s psychological status primarily, and
for the facilitation of dental treatment, as well. The range of mouth opening changed
from 3.7 to 6.2 cm, allowing for easier entrance of dental appliances into the mouth
for completion of prosthetic rehabilitation. With the tooth prostheses in place, the
patient gained more social confidence and started sharing her experience with other
patients with the same condition.Discussion:This case illustrates that hypnosis therapy may prove beneficial for patients with
limited mouth opening secondary to scleroderma, facilitating the prosthetic
rehabilitation programs for both dental specialists and patients, with a secondary
important impact on the patient’s social perception of himself.
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