Relationship between clinical and instrumental assessment of the tongue in healthy young adults

Abstract

The association between elevation of the floor of the mouth during sucking tongue on palate and quantitative evaluation can provide insight into the higher participation of the suprahyoid muscles in some participants in both tasks.

Avaliação clínica da língua em adultos jovens

“…The elevation of the floor of the mouth during the tongue elevation task was associated with evaluation of tongue force. In a previous study 11 , it was found difference between quantitative assessment of tongue force when comparing participants with and without elevation of floor of the mouth during sucking tongue on palate task. Another study found a strong relationship between electrical activity of floor of the mouth muscles and the pressure exerted by tongue on palate.…”

“…Nowadays there are some quantitative methods to assess tongue force but the goal of this study was to verify the relationship between the aspects of tongue clinical evaluation. A previous study has already obtained association between clinical aspects and quantitative tongue force evaluation 11 .…”

“…Finally, the force was considered reduced when the muscles were weak, maintaining slight force against the resistance provided by the spatula, with shaking and/or deformation. The evaluator also recorded whenever reduced forces in the tongue apex were observed 11 .…”

Avaliação da reprodutibilidade de um instrumento para medição da força axial da língua

“…The ranges of mean and maximum tongue force values found in this study are consistent with those reported by other authors during assessment of protrusion tasks in healthy adults. A study conducted with adults aged 20-44 years found maximum tongue force of 16.1±4.7 N and mean tongue force of 11.6±3.4 N (16) , whereas a survey conducted with men aged 22-39 years obtained maximum tongue force of 24.3±6.7 N (29) . Due to the training factor observed in this study, it is advisable that examiners provide participants with longer familiarization time with the instrument.…”

“…Perceptual evaluation is subjective and depends on the examiner's good judgment and experience, whereas instrumental assessment is performed using instruments that provide numerical data on tongue force or pressure, but most tools are not commercially available in Brazil. For this reason, the Biomechanical Engineering Group of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) developed an instrument to measure the axial force of the tongue that has already been used in several studies (1,2,(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17) . The portable version of the Forling instrument was designed later (18) , and is currently undergoing testing.…”