Facial Motion: TheraBite Jaw Motion Rehabilitation System
These instructions describe how Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients should use a TheraBite® to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the jaw.
Patient instructions
How to use your TheraBite
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Insert the TheraBite into your mouth. Allow the pads to rest on your top and bottom teeth.
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Position the device as far back in the mouth as possible to provide a stretch to the back of the teeth.
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Place the device as shown to complete the stretches. (Figure 1)
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Your occupational therapist will give you a stretching program that is best for you.
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Examples of stretching programs:
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7-7-7: seven stretches, performed 7 times each day, with each stretch lasting 7 seconds.
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5-5-30: five stretches, performed 5 times per day, with each stretch lasting thirty seconds.
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The device can be locked to avoid too much stretching. This can be adjusted by turning the knob at the back of the device. Your therapist will set this initially and tell you when it is appropriate to adjust to allow for increased stretching. (Figure 3)
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Either the patient or parent can perform the stretches.
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For the exercises to be effective, the patient should feel a stretch in their mouth and resistance when squeezing the TheraBite handle. The back of the mouth should be stretched, not just the front.
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Cleaning your device: Rinse with water. Air dry. Store in a clean bag.
Contact your occupational therapist with any questions.
Reviewed on October 20, 2022, by Tami Konieczny, MS, OTR/L, BCP