Assessment of orofacial functions in Brazilian children using the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S)

Abstract

Purpose: Orofacial function is the result of complex activities of the central nervous and neuromuscular systems. Orofacial dysfunction can compromise vital actions, such as breathing, chewing and swallowing, and facial expressions. The aim of this study was to apply the Brazilian version of the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S), which assesses orofacial dysfunction, to a sample of Brazilian children and adolescents. Methods: The Brazilian version of NOT-S was applied in 197 girls and 135 boys, aged from 8 to 14 years old. They were clinically examined for the phase of dentition and characteristics of occlusion. For assessing NOT-S reliability, a test-retest was performed in 50 subjects randomly selected from the total sample15 days after the first application. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-squared, Mann-Whitney and Kappa tests were applied for data analysis at significant level of α=0.05. Results: The scores ranged from 0 to 7; score 0 had a rate of 5%; the mean score was 2.64. The most frequent domains were III (Habits) and IV (Chewing and Swallowing) with a rate of 70 and 50%, respectively. No difference between genders was seen in relation to orofacial dysfunction, but subjects in mixed dentition and those with frontal open bite presented more orofacial dysfunction. The rate of intra-examiner agreement was 97.8% comparing the first and retest applications. Conclusion: No differences between genders were detected, but subjects in mixed dentition and in those with anterior malocclusion the orofacial dysfunction was more present. The Brazilian version of NOT-S was considered proper for application in Brazilian subjects.

Effects of an Oral-Pharyngeal Motor Training Programme on Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Hong Kong: A Retrospective Pilot Study

“…In order to study the effectiveness of the oropharyngeal motor training programme, three outcome parameters were chosen: orofacial function, tongue strength and tongue endurance level. The orofacial function of the participants was assessed by the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) Assessment (Leme et al, 2012), while the tongue strength and tongue endurance level were assessed using the Iowa Oral Pressure Instrument (IOPI) (Potter & Short, 2009). They were conducted by a trained occupational therapist.…”

“…The NOT-S assessment was used for patients aged 3 years or above who had difficulties to speak, chew or swallow. It was developed by the Mun-H-Center in Sweden with a total score of 12 (Leme et al, 2012). It includes two parts, the NOT-S interview session and the NOT-S examination session.…”

“…The NOT-S interview consists of six sections: sensory function, breathing, habits, chewing and swallowing, drooling, and dryness of the mouth. The NOT-S examination consists of six sections: face at rest, nose breathing, facial expression, masticatory muscle and jaw function, oral motor function, and speech (Leme et al, 2012). The illustrated manual was used during the examination.…”

“…Recent evidences revealed that the orofacial developmental disorders in children with OSAS may be caused by orofacial anatomic abnormalities which result in upper airway obstruction, these abnormalities included high arch palate, hypotonic tongue and lips muscles (Clark, O'Brien, Calleja, & Corrie, 2009;Guimarães, Drager, Genta, Marcondes, & Lorenzi-Filho, 2009;Huang & Guilleminault, 2013). Findings of several studies have indicated that oropharyngeal motor training programme could be useful to improve the muscle tone of the tongue, throat, and face, which could increase the anatomical space of the orofacial structures and hence, reduce obstruction to the airway (Huang & Guilleminault, 2013;Leme, Barbosa, & Gavião, 2012;Logemann, 2008;Potter & Short, 2009;Randerath, Galetke, Domanski, Weitkunat, & Ruhle, 2004;Varjão, 2012).…”

Impact of Orofacial Dysfunction on the Quality of Life of Adult Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate

“…According to the World Health Organization, quality of life (QoL) is "an individual's perception of their position in life and in the context of culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns" (WHOQOL, 1993). The degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of an individual may affect his or her values and compromise his or her overall QoL (Leme et al, 2012). Quality of life evaluations are important to seek results capable of setting up standards for further clinical research and improvements for the treatment protocol of individuals with CLP (Mani et al, 2010).…”