The motor system: a clinical appraisal

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Myofunctional Therapy

Background:

• Tongue thrust is a condition that can affect orthodontic treatment outcomes.
• Many cases of tongue thrust resolve naturally or adapt to malocclusions.
• Myofunctional therapy is not suitable for all orthodontic patients, especially those in the mixed dentition stage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a successful myofunctional therapy program for orthodontic patients.
• To identify the specific patient profile that benefits most from myofunctional therapy.
• To emphasize the importance of proper timing and patient selection in myofunctional therapy.

Main Methods:

• A simple and direct myofunctional therapy program focusing on bolus control and preswallowing movements.
• Careful patient selection to include only those whose tongue thrust interferes with orthodontic mechanics.
• Integration of myofunctional therapy with orthodontic treatment during the final stages.

Main Results:

• The presented program achieves unique success due to proper timing, patient selection, and simplicity.
• Myofunctional therapy is essential for a small percentage of orthodontic patients, preventing treatment failure.
• The therapy focuses on voluntary preswallowing movements, leading to adaptation of involuntary swallowing mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Myofunctional therapy is a critical component for successful orthodontic treatment in select cases.
• Simple, direct myofunctional programs, when applied to the right patients, are resource-efficient.
• Properly timed and selected myofunctional therapy, combined with orthodontic treatment, yields synergistic results.