The Help of Hypnodontics to a Patient With Scleroderma ‒ Case Report

Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue disease generally classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases A 58-year-old woman was informed of her scleroderma, while receiving oral prosthetic rehabilitation. Mouth opening limitation had unfortunately led to treatment interruption. The psychological load of the disease itself, along with dental treatment cessation, resulted in patient’s disappointment and social separation. Three hypnosis sessions were conducted for normalizing patient’s psychological status primarily, and for the facilitation of dental treatment, as well. The range of mouth opening changed from 3.7 to 6.2 cm, allowing for easier entrance of dental appliances into the mouth for completion of prosthetic rehabilitation. With the tooth prostheses in place, the patient gained more social confidence and started sharing her experience with other patients with the same condition. This case illustrates that hypnosis therapy may prove beneficial for patients with limited mouth opening secondary to scleroderma, facilitating the prosthetic rehabilitation programs for both dental specialists and patients, with a secondary important impact on the patient’s social perception of himself.