RECENT DISLOCATIONS Most patients need no anaesthetic.
Sit the patient forward in a chair. Ask an assistant to stand behind him and hold his head. Put some gauze over his lower posterior teeth on each side. Press his premolar teeth downwards. At the same time press the underneath of his chin upwards and backwards.
If he opens his mouth too wide again, the dislocation may recur. So bandage his jaw to keep his mouth shut for 3 days. Allow him to open it just a little for eating.
OLD DISLOCATIONS Fix arch bars to each jaw (62.10). Cut an ordinary rubber eraser into two pieces, and put a piece between the patient’s posterior molars on each side to act as a fulcrum. Fix strong rubber bands between the arch bars in front. During the following few days they will exert steady traction and close his anterior open bite. If this fails, refer him.
