THE TREATMENT

The use of the Froggymouth device in three steps:

THE FROGGYMOUTH IS A UNIQUE TOOL WITH MULTIPLE USES. WHETHER ONE IS AN ORTHODONTIST, GENERAL PRACTITIONER, SPEECH THERAPIST, PHYSIOTHERAPIST, OR OSTEOPATH, THE USE OF THE DEVICE CAN VARY.

BELOW, WE PROVIDE THE MOST COMMON METHOD OF USING THE FROGGYMOUTH DEVICE. IT INCLUDES THE INITIAL SESSION, INTERMEDIATE SESSIONS, AND A FINAL SESSION.

First session

Intermediate sessions

End of treatment

Treatment documents

FOR AN OPTIMAL TREATMENT START, MAKE SURE OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:

PRESENT THE FROGGYMOUTH TO THE PATIENT'S PARENTS OR TO THE PATIENT (IF TEENAGER OR ADULT)

PRESENT THE DEVICE TO THE PARENTS IN 1 MINUTE, BY CLÉMENCE BARRIÈRE

PARAMEDICAL It is important that the patient, or their parents, understand the stakes of the treatment and the interest of the device in broad terms. However, it is recommended not to give too many indications about the operation of the device to the patient.

DOUBLE THE PRACTITIONER'S SPEECH AS A DENTAL ASSISTANT, BY VANESSA CHOURO

MEDICAL

Involve the dental assistant in the functional treatment.

STATE THE WEARING RULES OF THE DEVICE

THE WEARING OF THE FROGGYMOUTH DEVICE EXPLAINED TO PATIENTS

15 MINUTES EACH DAY AND CONTINUOUSLY Without removing or speaking with the device. In front of a television screen (no tablet, or book...) Wash your FROGGYMOUTH after each use and dry it well before putting it back in its box.

CHOOSE THE SIZE 3 SIZES OF FROGGYMOUTH The device FROGGYMOUTH comes in three sizes:

The choice of size depends on the patient's intercommissural gap.

Consult the Size Guide to choose the right one.

GIVE THE FROGGYMOUTH TO THE PATIENT AND PLACE IT FOR 3 TO 5 MINUTES IN SESSION HANDOVER AND EXPLANATIONS Placing the FROGGYMOUTH during the first session will allow to show the patient the wearing rules. The FROGGYMOUTH is not painful. It represents an obstacle to atypical swallowing for the patient during the first week. This modification of proprioception will generate drooling and/or facial expressions during the first days of wear.

ASK THE PATIENT TO COME BACK WITH HIS DEVICE AT THE SECOND APPOINTMENT Visit the “Intermediate Session” section to learn more.

THIS SESSION ALLOWS TO VALIDATE THE PHASE OF ENGRAMMATION OF THE TREATMENT. IT CAN TAKE PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 3 WEEKS AFTER THE FITTING OF THE DEVICE (FIRST SESSION).

ASK the patient if they are still drooling a few days after wearing the device. EXPLANATION: if the patient drools excessively while wearing the Froggymouth, it means that they have not succeeded in sending saliva to the pharynx. The reason is that the styloglossus does not perform the peristaltic movement necessary to tip the saliva into the throat.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR PATIENT SWALLOWS SALIVA DURING THE USE OF THE FROGGYMOUTH, AT THE SECOND APPOINTMENT, OR IF THEY PLACE THE TONGUE APEX IN THE FROGGYMOUTH SPACE?

« THE TONGUE WRESTLING EXERCISE »

This exercise is to be carried out by the practitioner during the session.

It will be necessary to create the motor image of the elevation of the styloglossus, the muscle that lifts the lingual dome.

EQUIP yourself with an oral mirror.

PRESS down on the patient's lingual V, from top to bottom, in order to apply pressure on the posterior part of the tongue.

PUT your patient to counter the force exerted by the mirror, with their styloglossus, by elevating their lingual dome.

WHAT TO DO IF THE PATIENT CONTINUES TO DROOL WITH THE FROGGYMOUTH?

« THE TONGUE WRESTLING EXERCISE » EXPLAINED BY DR FELLUS

This is the same situation as mentioned above: the patient has never yet engaged their styloglossus, the muscle that elevates the posterior part of the tongue. During the session, stimulate the elevation of the styloglossus with the tongue wrestling exercise.

THE CONTRACTION OF THE STYLOGLOSSUS WILL ALLOW THE TONGUE TO TAKE A HIGH POSTERIOR POSITION IN THE ORAL CAVITY. THIS INDICATES THAT THE ENGRAMMATION PHASE IS COMPLETE: YOU ARE ON THE PATH TO AUTOMATION.

TO GO FURTHER: SEE THE SCENT EXERCISE THAT YOU CAN OFFER IN CERTAIN CASES IN THE AUTOMATION PHASE. IT WILL FACILITATE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AUTOMATED EXCLUSIVE NASAL BREATHING.

The «SCENT Exercise» or how to stimulate nasal breathing?

THIS EXERCISE IS TO BE PERFORMED BY THE PRACTITIONER DURING THE SESSION AND SUBSEQUENTLY BY THE PATIENTS AT HOME (OPTIONAL).

TREATMENT IS CONCLUDED WHEN THE POSITION OF THE TONGUE, DURING SWALLOWING AND AT REST, IS CORRECTED.

A SIMPLE TEST ALLOWS THE PRACTITIONER TO SEE IF THE RE-EDUCATION HAS CREATED AUTOMATISM IN THE PATIENT.

Approximately after 10 weeks of treatment, but especially depending on the progress of the treatment and the patient's improvements, you can carry out the automation test.

The best way to assess automation is to capture the moment of natural swallowing in the patient when they do not think they are being observed. This may occur during a conversation with parents, when the patient enters the office, or when you follow them into the waiting room.

THE ELOCUTION TEST CAN ALSO BE DONE. NO MATERIAL IS REQUIRED FOR THIS EXERCISE.

THE « SPEECH EXERCISE »

CONDUCT THIS EXERCISE DURING THE SESSION. IF THE RESULT IS NOT POSITIVE, YOU MAY ASK THE PATIENT TO REPEAT IT REGULARLY AT HOME FOR A FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE NEXT EVALUATION.

In the first step, ask the patient to count from 1 to 20 with teeth clenched, articulating the sounds only with the lips.

Then, in the second step, count from 1 to 20 more quickly and click the teeth between each number.

Pay attention to the position of the patient's tongue:

DO YOU SEE THEM TRYING TO PASS THROUGH THE DENTAL ARCHES?

OR DOES IT REMAIN IN PLACE TO FULFILL THE SWALLOWING FUNCTION?

The fact of noting that the tongue tends to protrude from the territory determined by the dental arches will then demonstrate the absence of automation, while a tongue not pushing against any teeth, neither anteriorly nor laterally, will be a revealing sign of the automation of the correct lingual posture.

FOR THE PRACTITIONER