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

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.

Lip‐closing strength in children is enhanced by lip and facial muscle training

“…Kaede et al demonstrated that lip‐closing training enhances LCS in healthy younger adults (Kaede et al, 2016). Quinzi et al reported increased lip strength and achieved clinical correction of atypical swallowing (Quinzi et al, 2020). Furthermore, Ingervall and Carlsson reported that lip‐closing training influences lip soft tissue formation in children with ILS, which increases the height of both lips and decreases the interlabial gap (Ingervall & Carlsson, 1982).…”

“…The investigation of myofunctional treatment during growing periods was limited to several reports of children with neuromuscular dysfunction, such as a lip training method for patients with intellectual disability or lip deformation (da Costa et al, 2018; Pinheiro et al, 2018; Saccomanno et al, 2018). To date, limited studies have analyzed the effects of oral functional training during developmental periods (Quinzi et al, 2020).…”

Manejo de los hábitos orales en odontopediatría: Revisión de literatura

“…En ocasiones, la maduración fisiológica del mecanismo de deglución no se ha desarrollado por completo; un patrón infantil, llamado "deglución atípica", persiste más allá del límite fisiológico. En consecuencia, durante la deglución, se produce un empuje de la lengua hacia adelante, generalmente a nivel de las superficies palatinas de los incisivos superiores, o la lengua se interpone entre las arcadas dentarias, acompañada de una contracción de los músculos mímicos, en particular de los músculos orbicular de los labios y borla del mentón 16 .…”

Elastodontic Devices in Orthodontics: An In-Vitro Study on Mechanical Deformation under Loading

“…ED produce light and biological elastic forces to correct malocclusions, changing the position of the teeth and potentially affecting growth of the bone bases, by stimulating the perioral muscles [ 5 ] and remodeling and relocation of the glenoid fossa. These appliances are used with children with primary dentition as, when muscular interferences or dento-skeletal malocclusions are treated at a very early stage, it seems to improve the stability of relationship between the jaws, and their muscular component [ 6 , 7 ]. Their main clinical applications described in the literature are for increased overjet and overbite, gummy smile, anterior crowding and rotations, open bite, class II malocclusion, and scissor bite [ 8 ].…”