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The human tongue has highly variable morphology. Its role in regulating respiratory flows and deposition of inhaled aerosols remains unclear. The objective of this study was to quantify the uncertainty of nanoparticle deposition from the variability in tongue shapes and positions and to rank the importance of these morphological factors. Oropharyngeal models with different tongue postures were reconstructed by modifying an existent anatomically accurate upper airway geometry. An LRN k-ω model was applied to solve the multiregime flows, and the Lagrangian tracking approach with near-wall treatment was used to simulate the behavior and fate of inhaled aerosols. Once the database of deposition rates was completed, a surrogate model was trained using Gaussian process regression with polynomial kernels and was validated by comparing its predictions to new CFD simulations. Input sensitivity analysis and output updateability quantification were then performed using the surrogate model. Results show that particle size is the most significant parameter in determining nanoparticle deposition in the upper airway. Among the morphological factors, the shape variations in the central tongue had a higher impact on the total deposition than those in the back tongue and glottal aperture. When considering subregional deposition, mixed sensitivity levels were observed among morphological factors, with the back tongue being the major factor for throat deposition and the central tongue for oral deposition. Interaction effects between flow rate and morphological factors were much higher than the effects from individual parameters and were most significant in the throat (pharyngolaryngeal region). Given input normal variances, the nanoparticle deposition exhibits logarithmical normal distributions, with much lower uncertainty in 100-nm than 2-nm aerosols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Scoliosis is a complex three-dimensional malformation of the spine. Although its etiology is still being investigated, it is clear that a number of factors can influence this syndrome. The spinal deformity of idiopathic scoliosis can be viewed from an etiopathogenetic perspective as a symptom of a complicated condition with a multifactorial etiology. Numerous studies have established its relationship with malocclusion, but it is still unclear how these factors interact. Malocclusion is a change in the physiological alignment of the upper and lower teeth that can be either dental or skeletal in origin. This study's objective is to assess the relationship between scoliosis and malocclusion. Material and Methods: A total of 646 patients were enrolled (554 females and 92 males), 447 with scoliosis and 199 without, from private dental and orthopedic practices, to answer an anonymous questionnaire. They were selected in private dental and orthopedic practices where they had dental and orthopedic examinations. Twenty-two patients were excluded because of a lack of answers. Participants were given a bilingual survey, in English and Italian, composed of 13 questions formulated specifically for this study, using Google Forms (Google LLC, Mountain View, CA, USA). Results: Univariate analysis of the question "Do you have scoliosis?" shows a significant correlation with the following questions: "Was scoliosis a family issue?" (p < 0.05 OR 7.30 IC: 3.05–17.46) "Do you have malocclusion?" (p < 0.05, OR: 1.19 IC:1.0–1.34) and "Was mal-occlusion a family issue?" (p < 0.01, OR: 1.39 IC 1.10–1.77). Performing a multivariate analysis for the same variables, the best predictors of scoliosis were "Was scoliosis a family issue?" (p < 0.001) and "Was malocclusion a family issue?" (p < 0.05), while the question "Do you have malocclusion" lost significance. Conclusion: This study adds further confirmation that there might be an important connection between malocclusion and scoliosis; it suggests that dentists and orthopedists have to check, as early as possible, for the probable presence of both pathologies to avoid a severe progression which, in most cases, may require significant therapy and even surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Tongue is a soft muscular tissue which is mainly made of mucosa, muscles, vascular and nerve supply. The mucosa of body is formed from the first pharyngeal arch and third pharyngeal arches; while the skeletal muscles develop from myoblast that migrate from occipital somite’s. Aim Owing to its effect on the building structures all around and vital functions, this study was carried out to assess the tongue posture in vertical malrelations; in class I malocclusion. Materials and methods A cephalometric study was carried out on 153 adult patients (76 female, 75 male) from 17 to 22 years old) with skeletal class I. The sample was selected according to the mandibular plane angle (SN/GO-GN) and categorized according to vertical facial pattern into; high angle (SN/ MP >37), low angle (SN/MP <27) and average angle (SN/MP 32 ± 5°); including 26 females and 25 males in each group. The tongue position was calculated along horizontal line passing through the incisal edge of the lower central incisor to the cervical distal third of the lower second molar and extending posteriorly. Taking the cervical area as a center, six angles will be drawn at 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, 12°, and 150°. The contours of the dorsum of the tongue and the palate and six distances will be measured at 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, 120°, and 150° between tongue and palate contour. Results Tongue positions were found to be higher in position in skeletal class I malocclusion in low and high mandibular plane (posterior part of the tongue); on the other, lower tongue position (anterior part) was found in increased mandibular plane angle without sex differences Conclusion Tongue position is affected by the position of the mandible in vertical plane; regarding the anterior or posterior part without sex differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human tongue has highly variable morphology. Its role in regulating respiratory flows and deposition of inhaled aerosols remains unclear. The objective of this study was to quantify the uncertainty of nanoparticle deposition from the variability in tongue shapes and positions and to rank the importance of these morphological factors. Oropharyngeal models with different tongue postures were reconstructed by modifying an existent anatomically accurate upper airway geometry. An LRN k-ω model was applied to solve the multiregime flows, and the Lagrangian tracking approach with near-wall treatment was used to simulate the behavior and fate of inhaled aerosols. Once the database of deposition rates was completed, a surrogate model was trained using Gaussian process regression with polynomial kernels and was validated by comparing its predictions to new CFD simulations. Input sensitivity analysis and output updateability quantification were then performed using the surrogate model. Results show that particle size is the most significant parameter in determining nanoparticle deposition in the upper airway. Among the morphological factors, the shape variations in the central tongue had a higher impact on the total deposition than those in the back tongue and glottal aperture. When considering subregional deposition, mixed sensitivity levels were observed among morphological factors, with the back tongue being the major factor for throat deposition and the central tongue for oral deposition. Interaction effects between flow rate and morphological factors were much higher than the effects from individual parameters and were most significant in the throat (pharyngolaryngeal region). Given input normal variances, the nanoparticle deposition exhibits logarithmical normal distributions, with much lower uncertainty in 100-nm than 2-nm aerosols.

Introduction: The persistence of the sucking beyond a certain age has been attributed to many deleterious effects on the orofacial structures. Hence, the present study evaluates the alterations in the upper airway among the children with and without the finger-sucking habits. Material and Methods: We piloted an observational study among 58 children with malocclusion who required orthodontic treatment, in which between 7 and 12 years were selected. They were subjected to lateral cephalometric radiographs, and cephalometric analysis of craniofacial morphology, tongue posture, hyoid bone position, upper airway, and head posture was performed and analyzed using independent t-test. Results: In the children with finger-sucking habit group, not only the maxilla was placed anteriorly in relation to the cranial base, but also increased Abstract xi in the length of the palate and the tongue posture. No significant alterations were seen in other parameters. Conclusion: Changes were evident among the children with finger-sucking habits for the craniofacial morphology, tongue posture, upper airway, and head posture with no alteration in the hyoid bone position.

Abstract Background The aim of the study was to analyze the morphology and position of the tongue and hyoid bone in skeletal Class II patients with different vertical growth patterns by cone beam computed tomography in comparison to skeletal Class I patients. Methods Ninety subjects with malocclusion were divided into skeletal Class II and Class I groups by ANB angles. Based on different vertical growth patterns, subjects in each group were divided into 3 subgroups: high-angle group (MP-FH ≥ 32.0°), average-angle group (22.0° ≤ MP-FH 0.05). Conclusion Patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion have lower tongue posture, a smaller tongue body, and greater occurrence of posterior inferior hyoid bone position than skeletal Class I patients. The length of the mandibular body in skeletal Class I patients with a horizontal growth type is longer. The position and morphology of the tongue and hyoid bone were not greatly affected by vertical facial development in skeletal Class II patients.

Recent research on body and head positions has shown that postural changes may induce varying degrees of changes on acoustic speech signals and articulatory gestures. While the preservation of formant profiles across different postures is suitably accounted for by the two-tube model and perturbation theory, it remains unclear whether it is resulted from the accommodation of tongue postures. Specifically, whether the tongue accommodates the changes in head angle to maintain the target acoustics is yet to be determined. The present study examines vowel acoustics and their correspondence with the articulatory maneuvers of the tongue, including both tongue postures and movements of the tongue center, across different head angles. The results show that vowel acoustics, including pitch and formants, are largely unaffected by upward or downward tilting of the head. These preserved acoustics may be attributed to the lingual gestures that compensate for the effects of gravity. Our results also reveal that the tongue postures in response to head movements appear to be vowel-dependent, and the tongue center may serve as an underlying drive that covariates with the head angle changes. These results imply a close relationship between vowel acoustics and tongue postures as well as a target-oriented strategy for different head angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on body and head positions has shown that postural changes may induce varying degrees of changes on acoustic speech signals and articulatory gestures. While the preservation of formant profiles across different postures is suitably accounted for by the two-tube model and perturbation theory, it remains unclear whether it is resulted from the accommodation of tongue postures. Specifically, whether the tongue accommodates the changes in head angle to maintain the target acoustics is yet to be determined. The present study examines vowel acoustics and their correspondence with the articulatory maneuvers of the tongue, including both tongue postures and movements of the tongue center, across different head angles. The results show that vowel acoustics, including pitch and formants, are largely unaffected by upward or downward tilting of the head. These preserved acoustics may be attributed to the lingual gestures that compensate for the effects of gravity. Our results also reveal that the tongue postures in response to head movements appear to be vowel-dependent, and the tongue center may serve as an underlying drive that covariates with the head angle changes. These results imply a close relationship between vowel acoustics and tongue postures as well as a target-oriented strategy for different head angles.

Background: The aim of the study was to analyze the morphology and position of the tongue and hyoid bone in skeletal Class II patients with different vertical growth patterns by cone beam computed tomography in comparison to skeletal Class I patients. Methods: Ninety subjects with malocclusion were divided into skeletal Class II and Class I groups by ANB angles. Based on different vertical growth patterns, subjects in each group were divided into 3 subgroups: high-angle group (MP-FH ≥ 32.0°), average-angle group (22.0° ≤ MP-FH < 32°) and low-angle group (MP-FH < 22°). The position and morphology of the tongue and hyoid bone were evaluated in the cone beam computed tomography images. The independent Student's t‐test was used to compare the position and morphology of the tongue and hyoid bone between skeletal Class I and Class II groups. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the measurement indexes of different vertical facial patterns in each group. Results: Patients in skeletal Class II group had lower tongue posture, and the tongue body was smaller than that of those in the Class I group (P < 0.05). The position of the hyoid bone was lower in the skeletal Class II group than in Class I group (P < 0.05). The tongue length and H-Me in the skeletal Class I group with a low angle were significantly larger than those with an average angle and high angle (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the position or morphology of the tongue and hyoid bone in the skeletal Class II group with different vertical facial patterns (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion have lower tongue posture, a smaller tongue body, and greater occurrence of posterior inferior hyoid bone position than skeletal Class I patients. The length of the mandibular body in skeletal Class I patients with a horizontal growth type is longer. The position and morphology of the tongue and hyoid bone were not greatly affected by vertical facial development in skeletal Class II patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between head posture, hyoid bone, tongue position and lower incisor inclination. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 98 subjects (35 males, 63 females), who had a mean age of 17.7 years in the permanent dentition and with a skeletal Class I relationship. Lower incisor inclination, craniovertical, craniocervical and craniohorizontal postural variables, tongue and hyoid position and airway measurements were evaluated on lateral cephalograms taken in natural head position. The study sample was divided into two groups according to lower incisor inclination (48 had IMPA90 ⁰ with a mean degree of 102.84) and a Student-t test was performed to compare and describe head posture, tongue and hyoid bone positions.Results: The subjects with upright incisors had a more posteriorly positioned hyoid bone relative to the mandibular symphysis compared with the subjects with flared incisors (p

The tongue-thrusting habit significantly contributes to the development of the anterior open bite (AOB), particularly when an infantile swallowing pattern persists into the later stages of childhood and adolescence. This habit results in the protrusion of the anterior teeth. Treatment typically involves addressing the underlying causes, incorporating retraining exercises, and utilizing mechanical appliances to control tongue positioning. However, commonly used devices such as palatal cribs or spurs may present challenges, including speech impediments, chewing difficulties, and the potential for unintended injuries. This paper presents a case report detailing the treatment of a patient with an AOB, dental protrusion, and spacing. The treatment approach included the application of a fixed tongue trainer, in the form of a modified bluegrass appliance. Subsequent fixed orthodontic therapy was employed to rectify proclined teeth within the dental arch., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Shinde et al.)

Tongue posture plays an important role in the etiology of anterior open bite (AOB) and articulation disorders, and is crucial for AOB treatment planning and posttreatment stability. Clinical assessment of tongue posture in children is unreliable due to anatomical limitations. The aim of the study was to present functional diagnostics using three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) assessment of resting tongue posture in comparison to clinical assessment, and the associations between the improper tongue posture, otorhinolaryngological characteristics, and articulation disorders in preschool children with AOB.

The aim of this study was to pinpoint the cerebral regions implicated during swallowing by comparing the brain activation areas associated with two different volitional movements: tongue protrusion and tongue elevation. Twenty-four healthy subjects (11—males 22 ± 2.9 y; 13—females 23 ± 4.1 y; were examined through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing two different swallowing tasks: with tongue protrusion and with tongue elevation. The study was carried out with the help of fMRI imaging which assesses brain signals caused by changes in neuronal activity in response to sensory, motor or cognitive tasks. The precentral gyrus and the cerebellum were activated during both swallowing tasks while the postcentral gyrus, thalamus, and superior parietal lobule could be identified as large activation foci only during the protrusion task. During protrusion tasks, increased activations were also seen in the left-middle and medial frontal gyrus, right thalamus, inferior parietal lobule, and the superior temporal gyrus (15,592-voxels; Z-score 5.49 ± 0.90). Tongue elevation activated a large volume of cortex portions within the left sub-gyral cortex and minor activations in both right and left inferior parietal lobules, right postcentral gyrus, lentiform nucleus, subcortical structures, the anterior cingulate, and left insular cortex (3601-voxels; Z-score 5.23 ± 0.52). However, the overall activation during swallowing tasks with tongue elevation, was significantly less than swallowing tasks with tongue protrusion. These results suggest that tongue protrusion (on inferior incisors) during swallowing activates a widely distributed network of cortical and subcortical areas than tongue elevation (on incisor papilla), suggesting a less economic and physiologically more complex movement. These neuromuscular patterns of the tongue confirm the different purpose of elevation and protrusion during swallowing and might help professionals manage malocclusions and orofacial myofunctional disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interesting finding of tongue posture is that the position of tongue constriction is influenced by the character of the phonation and the articulatory pattern of the tongue movement with velar movement need certain parametric measurement. In this study, we consider all letters, /A/, /B/, /C/.... and so on, to know the movement and position of the tongue, constriction during phonation and release at the end of the phonation, to use it as a guide to correct any pathological problem in the movement and position of the tongue during speech production. A sample of 10 each of normal and native speaking males and females, with no history of cleft lip and palate served as subjects for this investigation. Cephalometric x-ray analysis has been used in this study. Also, tongue movement tracking and its time points for start and end of consonant phoneticswere performed. By using the method of synchronization and time measurement in lateral Cephalometric x-ray, this study shows that the coordinated function of tongue movement was evaluated on the speech production of vowels /Ka/, /Ko/, /Ku/, /ke/, /ki/ and /a/o/u/e/i /s/ sounds in normal subjects; these subjects were studied as the articulatory patterns were observed and the time relationship between the articulatory movement and phonation was analyzed. The results show that the character of the vowels influenced the position of the tongue by a combination of the articulatory position between the velum and the tongue, which is considered a significant physiological factor and the coordinated function of the tongue and palate shows a strong relationship and high correlation among all the oral units throughout the articulatory process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the importance that swallowing pattern and tongue posture might have in the aetiology of malocclusion, it appears important to be aware of the physiological changes of tongue function and its posture., Objectives: The study aimed to assess changes of the swallowing pattern and tongue posture during the transition from the deciduous to mixed dentition and the association between them., Materials and Methods: The study included 57 subjects aged 5.87 ± 0.5 with normal occlusion, orofacial functions, no history of trauma, or orthodontic treatment. Ultrasonography was used for the assessment of tongue posture and swallowing pattern, where the spontaneous act of swallowing was recorded. To evaluate the possible effect of incisors' eruption, the swallowing pattern and tongue posture ultrasonograms were compared at the deciduous (DD), early mixed (EMD), and intermediate mixed (IMD) timepoints., Results: A significant association between the swallowing pattern and tongue posture at the DD and IMD timepoint was found. Moreover, the visceral swallowing pattern decreases with age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.777), as well as with a prolonged phase IIa (OR = 0.071), while it increases when the tongue is postured on the mouth floor (OR = 5.020)., Limitations: The young age of the investigated subjects, direct contact of the probe, and the determination of the rest phase of the tongue were considered limitations., Conclusions: No statistically significant changes in swallowing pattern and tongue posture occurred during the transition period; however, a significant association between the swallowing pattern and tongue posture among subjects with normal occlusion, regardless of the dentition phase was detected., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society.)

The aim of this study was to pinpoint the cerebral regions implicated during swallowing by comparing the brain activation areas associated with two different volitional movements: tongue protrusion and tongue elevation. Twenty-four healthy subjects (11—males 22 ± 2.9 y; 13—females 23 ± 4.1 y; were examined through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing two different swallowing tasks: with tongue protrusion and with tongue elevation. The study was carried out with the help of fMRI imaging which assesses brain signals caused by changes in neuronal activity in response to sensory, motor or cognitive tasks. The precentral gyrus and the cerebellum were activated during both swallowing tasks while the postcentral gyrus, thalamus, and superior parietal lobule could be identified as large activation foci only during the protrusion task. During protrusion tasks, increased activations were also seen in the left-middle and medial frontal gyrus, right thalamus, inferior parietal lobule, and the superior temporal gyrus (15,592-voxels; Z-score 5.49 ± 0.90). Tongue elevation activated a large volume of cortex portions within the left sub-gyral cortex and minor activations in both right and left inferior parietal lobules, right postcentral gyrus, lentiform nucleus, subcortical structures, the anterior cingulate, and left insular cortex (3601-voxels; Z-score 5.23 ± 0.52). However, the overall activation during swallowing tasks with tongue elevation, was significantly less than swallowing tasks with tongue protrusion. These results suggest that tongue protrusion (on inferior incisors) during swallowing activates a widely distributed network of cortical and subcortical areas than tongue elevation (on incisor papilla), suggesting a less economic and physiologically more complex movement. These neuromuscular patterns of the tongue confirm the different purpose of elevation and protrusion during swallowing and might help professionals manage malocclusions and orofacial myofunctional disorders.

Introduction: The persistence of the sucking beyond a certain age has been attributed to many deleterious effects on the orofacial structures. Hence, the present study evaluates the alterations in the upper airway among the children with and without the finger-sucking habits., Material and Methods: We piloted an observational study among 58 children with malocclusion who required orthodontic treatment, in which between 7 and 12 years were selected. They were subjected to lateral cephalometric radiographs, and cephalometric analysis of craniofacial morphology, tongue posture, hyoid bone position, upper airway, and head posture was performed and analyzed using independent t-test., Results: In the children with finger-sucking habit group, not only the maxilla was placed anteriorly in relation to the cranial base, but also increased Abstract xi in the length of the palate and the tongue posture. No significant alterations were seen in other parameters., Conclusion: Changes were evident among the children with finger-sucking habits for the craniofacial morphology, tongue posture, upper airway, and head posture with no alteration in the hyoid bone position., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences.)

The article presents a study which compares the intraoral compartment formation in individuals with different types of malocclusion or neutral occlusion. Intraoral pressure recordings in the vestibular space (VS) and subpalatal space (SPS) of subjects were performed. The interaction of tongue posture, deglutition, and malocclusion was also discussed.

Lateral cephalograms taken at natural head posture of 52 subjects (21 males,, 31 females) in the age range of 19-29 years were used to examine the relations between hyoid bone position and naso-oropharyngeal airway adequacy, tongue posture and mandible posture in three groups comprising subjects with average, forward, and vertical cervical posture. Groups were formed by using the postural angle CVT-HOR. Results revealed that hyoid bone position exhibited statistically significant correlations with naso-oropharyngeal airway adequacy, tongue and mandible posture in groups comprising subjects with forward and vertical cervical postures, whereas in the average cervical posture group, the associations were found to be very few and low.

Copyright of Orthodontie Française is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome ( OSAS) in children is not rare and the importance of this obstruction during childhood is increasingly recognized. Children with OSA often have excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, poor hearing, physical debilitation, and failure to thrive. The first choice for treatment of childhood OSAS is adenotonsillectomy; however, OSAS treatment with rapid maxillary expansion ( RME) has also been suggested. Therefore, we present summaries of the following RME studies about the relation between maxillofacial form and respiratory disorders in children that showed the following: (i) RME improves nasal airway ventilation, suggesting that RME could contribute to treatment and prevention in children where OSAS is caused by nasal obstruction; (ii) Children with nasal airway obstruction have low tongue posture, and tongue posture improves when nasal airway obstruction is improved by RME; (iii) RME enlarges the pharyngeal airway. These effects of RME may contribute to treatment and prevention of childhood OSAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve young adults in a good general health were observed during habitual posture of tongue and jaw in different emotional conditions induced by watching three video sequences. The position of the mandible was tracked by the displacements of an electromagnetic sensor glued to the chin. The tongue-to-palate distance was obtained by 2-D location of three electromagnetic sensors placed on the tongue upper midline surface. Head displacements were evaluated with a sensor fixed to an upper central incisor and were subtracted from corresponding displacements of tongue and chin sensors to obtain the real tongue and mandible positions during continuous recording sequences. Emotional conditioning by a fear movie influenced the vertical position of the mandible: the mean interarch distances during the fear movie (2·34 ± 0·24 mm) were significantly different from those measured during the tender (3·13 ± 0·35) and neutral (3·42 ± 0·80) movies, respectively ( anova repeated measure, SNK; P < 0·05). anova repeated measure indicated that the tongue-to-palate distance differed significantly when the subjects were watching the conditioning movies ( P = 0·003), the tip of the tongue taking a lower position during the fear movie than during the tender and neutral movies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the adaptive changes and the stability in tongue posture following rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in patients without any signs or symptoms of respiratory disturbances. Materials and Methods: Growing subjects with maxillary constrictions and bilateral buccal cross-bites were included in the treatment group (n = 20). A control group (n = 20) comprised subjects with normal dentoskeletal features. RME appliances were used in the treatment group, with an average active expansion of 15 ± 2 days. Cephalometric radiographs were traced and digitized to evaluate static tongue posture before RME and 6.75 ± 0.48 months after RME. Follow-up radiographic evaluations of 17 expansion cases were also performed after an average of 29.25 ± 1 .85 months. Independent and paired t-tests were conducted to evaluate changes in tongue posture within and between groups. Results: Results revealed significant reductions of tongue-to-palate (P < .05) as well as hyoid bone-to-mandibular plane (P < .01) distances following RME. The new tongue posture was found to be stable during the follow-up period. Conclusions: A higher tongue posture can be obtained with RME in children with no reported respiratory disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A young child with macroglossia of unknown cause was seen for treatment to modify resting tongue posture and improve speech sound production. Evaluation of the treatments indicated positive change in resting tongue posture and a modest change in speech sound production. Treatment for such patients can be complex and must consider orthodontic and/or surgical interventions, because an enlarged tongue can influence growth, development, and physiology of the oropharyngeal complex. The speech-language pathologist must be prepared to deal with the complex of problems demonstrated by patients with macroglossia during growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics/Fortschritte der Kieferorthopadie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A 45-year-old woman presented with an anterior open-bite complaining chiefly of her unpleasant smile esthetics and masticatory and speech problems. Treatment included speech therapy initiated immediately after bonding. Lingual spurs were positioned on the mandibular incisors in order to help tongue rehabilitation. During the working phase, temporary anchorage devices (TADs) were used at the mandibular anterior segment to intrude the lower left premolars. A splint was used to ensure retention in the upper and lower arches; an enveloppe linguale nocturne (ELN) was provided. Non-surgical open-bite treatment could offer a valid alternative to orthognanthic surgery when cephalometric evaluation shows no vertical growth pattern; patient compliance is essential to prevent relapse., (Copyright © 2016 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)