Short-Term Effects of a Myofunctional Appliance on Atypical Swallowing and Lip Strength: A Prospective Study.

Vincenzo Quinzi,Alessandro Nota,Giuseppe Marzo,Eleonora Caggiati,Sabina Saccomanno,Simona Tecco

doi:10.3390/jcm9082652

Vincenzo Quinzi, Alessandro Nota + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9082652

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Abstract

Atypical swallowing needs treatment in order to eliminate harmful interferences of the tongue, which prevent the harmonious growth of the stomatognathic system. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a functional appliance on the presence of atypical swallowing, analyzing the lip strength and the altered facial mimics. The effects of a myofunctional appliance (the Froggy Mouth) were evaluated on 40 children (6 males; 24 females; mean age 9.6 ± 2.17) with atypical swallowing—with tongue thrust diagnosed by an expert orthodontist—before and during a 6 month treatment. Data were analyzed over time with a paired samples t-test for normally distributed data. After 6 months of treatment, 33 children out of 40 achieved clinical correction of atypical swallowing due to their good compliance, even at an early stage. Seven children showed low compliance and did not obtain any result. Lip strength in compliant subjects went from 190.30 ± 86.04 cN to 489.39 ± 123.36 cN (t = p < 0.001). Facial mimics improved in 28 out of 33 compliant subjects, and four children with the initial diagnosis of labial incompetence achieved correction. This observational study demonstrates the short-term efficacy of this myofunctional appliance in the treatment of atypical swallowing, achieving correction of the facial mimics and labial incompetence with a significant improvement of the lip strength.

Highlights

The physiological swallowing of the adult consists of positioning the tip of the tongue at the level of the incisive papilla with the dental arches in contact
The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of Froggy Mouth (FM) therapy on the presence of atypical swallowing and lip strength
A considerably faster correction of atypical swallowing was achieved compared with the present study, but it should be considered that the remarkably higher time, cost and treatment complexity could impact the compliance of very young children, while the treatment performed by Begnoni et al was directed at adolescents and young adults, showing only about 10% of poor compliance [4,9]

Summary

Introduction

The physiological swallowing of the adult consists of positioning the tip of the tongue at the level of the incisive papilla with the dental arches in contact. A swallowing pattern that deviates from this is called atypical swallowing, a term that indicates a pattern characterized by tongue thrust between the dental arches during swallowing [1,2,3] In this case, treatment is needed in order to eliminate harmful interferences of the tongue, which prevent the harmonious growth of the stomatognathic system [4]. From a clinical point of view, atypical swallowing involves lingual interposition, contraction of the mental muscle, interposition of the lower lip between dental arches, and consensual movements of the head and neck It can have consequences for breathing, chewing, speech and posture [9,10,11], as was observed for other stomatognathic disorders, such as temporomandibular disorders (TMD) [12,13,14,15,16]. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of FM therapy on the presence of atypical swallowing and lip strength

Experimental Section

Limitations of the Study

Findings

Conclusions