Idea Exchange: How to modify a mouth gag

We modified our stainless steel mouth gags to reduce the pressure on the jaw and temporomandibular joint in small patients or patients with severe dental disease or osteopenia. To do this, we dismantled the gag and removed the wire coil. We snipped the coil to a more appropriate length by using a wire cutter and then put the shorter coil back into the gag. This modified gag puts less pressure on the jaw but still allows intubation and protection of the tracheal tube.

Dr. Lisa Jeanetta

Duluth, Minn.