Dental Press J Orthod. 2022 May 23;27(2):e2220367. doi: 10.1590/2177-6709.27.2.e2220367.oar. eCollection 2022.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To introduce newly structured and developed orofacial myofunctional therapy (OFMFT) protocols named Bio-Exercise (BioEx), and evaluate the treatment effect of this method, using lateral cephalometric analysis on malocclusion with low tongue posture in young patients.
METHODS: A retrospective preliminary study was performed using orthodontic records from 28 patients (mean age of 8.41±1.45-year-old, 13 males, 15 females) treated with BioEx therapy using tongue elevators for 18.14±9.04 months (range: 6 to 37 months). Pretreatment (T0) and post-BioEx therapy (T1) lateral cephalograms were subsequently analyzed for tongue posture changes by linear, anteroposterior and vertical measurements. The data were analyzed by paired t-test, considering a 5% significance level.
RESULTS: The tongue length (TGL) and tongue height (TGH) increased statistically significant between T0 and T1. The decrease of the dorsum of the tongue perpendicular to the palatal plane (Td-PP value) was statistically significant. The increase of the tip of the tongue perpendicular to the pterygomaxillary vertical line (TT-PMV) was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary cephalometric results indicate that BioEx can be an effective OFMFT modality in increasing the tonicity of the tongue muscles to establish more normalized tongue position at rest.
PMID:35613244 | DOI:10.1590/2177-6709.27.2.e2220367.oar
