Improved Davis mouth gag.

The Davis mouth gag has been standard for pharyngeal surgery for many years. Its continued usage speaks for its adequate exposure of this area. One can obtain unhindered lateral retraction of the angle of the mouth. Direct views can thus be obtained of the fossa of Rosenmuller and the torus tubarius. This exposure allows careful removal of the lymphoid tissue without damage to the Eustachian tube opening. The disadvantages of the Davis gag stem mainly from the pressure which the bite-pads exert upon the upper incisor and canine teeth. This pressure has caused loosening of permanent teeth and occasional actual avulsion. The danger to expensive dentures has been a real concern. It is often necessary to use the gag in a person with an edentulous upper jaw. In this instance, the bite-pads continually slip off and allow unintentional trauma. These disadvantages stimulated me to contact Mr. E. A. Storz. We