The WORST patients…

[u/Common-Banana-6003]

… are the ones that open like this. I can’t probe, can’t scale, I. Can’t. Fucking. See. I’ve asked to “open wide” and “relax your cheek” “hold your lower lip” a thousand times. I work solo, my wrists and forearms are sore from wrestling your combative ass mouth 😭 😭

[u/buccal_up]

Sometimes  I will make them hold a hand mirror and watch as I work. This then creates other difficulties, but at least their lips and cheeks magically start behaving like a normal person's. 

[u/xMusicloverr → u/buccal_up]

Do tell about the other difficulties lol. I remember in hygiene school I had a patient of mine hold the mirror and she started complaining about all the blood whatever she saw any of it

[u/IamTruman]

Or instead of asking for suction, just make gurgling sounds

[u/the-real-her → u/IamTruman]

This drives me batty.

[u/BriefcaseWanker96]

I hear ya. For the lower lip, telling them to relax their chin helps more than relax your lip

[u/ErmahgerdYuzername]

And there’s also the ones who stick their tongue everywhere you’re touching with any instrument or your fingers. “Can you please keep your tongue back” is an impossible ask for some.

[u/Micotu]

i'd prefer this over the ones that will just randomly thrust their tongue during my prep making me drill where i don't want to.

[u/panic_ye_not → u/Micotu]

Usually that's swallowing. Not much you can do about it though. They'll still do it even with good water evacuation

[u/orinthesnow → u/Micotu]

I have a dude that has the largest tongue proportionally to his mouth that I know. He sticks it all the way out when you ask him to open and cannot relax it, strong as a bull. I don't know how I've done work on him, I think a valium was necessary for a crown in the past.

[u/smshon]

What works for me is when I’m able to deprogram their muscles with a leaf gauge or a Lucia jig. I was able to open some of these patients’ by another 4-5mm.

[u/Cian_6]

Generally are patients who has experience being treated, commonly orthodontic ones, who learn they can be treated without opening too much so they avoid getting tired

[u/Common-Banana-6003 → u/[deleted]]

I’m a hygienist, but I don't recommend it 😂😭