Treating patients with physical and development disabilities is a challenge for any dental practice. Every dental patient is different, this is especially true for patients with special needs. Some will have physical limitations that prevent them from being positioned in certain ways, which can make treating them difficult and uncomfortable. Other patients will have development disabilities that prevent them from sitting still for long periods of time or understanding the procedures that are being performed on them.

No matter the limitation, dentists and hygienists can help their patients (and themselves) by using a range of dental chair accessories. These accessories include dental chair headrests, backrests, chair pads and knee supports, each of which serve a specific purpose when helping to treat patients with disabilities.

Dental Headrests

Arguably the most important dental chair accessory, dental headrests help dentists position the heads of patients with special needs in order to keep them comfortable during treatment. The main problem with the stock headrests on many dental chairs is that they do not allow patients to recline their heads without putting an inordinate amount of pressure on the occiput. This can be especially jarring for patients with a disability that causes sensory issues or prevents them from sitting still for long periods of time.

Dental headrests (made from memory foam) provide a high level of cushioning and support for a patient’s head when reclined back in a chair. This keeps them steadier and allow them to comfortably open their mouth wider, which gives dentists and hygienists greater access to hard to reach areas of the mouth without having to cause excess strain on their bodies.

Backrests and Knee Supports

While standard dental chairs have a certain level of cushioning, they are not shaped to fit every patient’s body. This can leave gaps between the patient and the chair, particularly by the patient’s back and knees. This problem can be exacerbated when a patient with special needs is unable to remain still and hold themselves upright as there is nothing there to support their legs and back.

Dental chair backrests and knee support pillows fill the void between a patient and the dental chair, providing ample support, making them more relaxed and comfortable, and allowing them to sit still for longer periods of time. These two products work in tandem to stabilize patients and make it easier for dental operators to treat.

Featuring proprietary ergonomic designs and premium memory foam, our dental chair accessories can help you position patients for a more comfortable dental experience.

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