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Superior orbicularis oris muscle activity in children with and without cleft lip and palate
R Carvajal1, R Miralles, D Cauvi
1Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, University of Chile, Santiago.
Insights
Children with cleft lip and palate show higher superior orbicularis oris muscle activity during swallowing. This increased muscle activity, especially with abnormal lip seal, may impact the growth of the stomatognathic system.
Area of Science:
- Craniofacial biology
- Biomedical engineering
- Speech and language pathology
Background:
- Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is a common congenital condition affecting facial structure and function.
- The superior orbicularis oris muscle plays a crucial role in oral competence and facial aesthetics.
- Understanding muscle activity during functional tasks like swallowing is vital for assessing long-term developmental impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the integrated electromyographic (IEMG) activity of the superior orbicularis oris muscle in children with CLP versus non-cleft children.
- To investigate the relationship between lip seal status and superior orbicularis oris muscle activity during swallowing in children with CLP.
Main Methods:
- Integrated electromyographic (IEMG) recordings using bipolar surface electrodes.
- Measurement of superior orbicularis oris muscle activity at rest and during saliva swallowing.
- Comparison between 15 surgically treated children with CLP and 10 non-cleft control children.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in resting level IEMG activity between the two groups.
- Significantly higher IEMG activity of the superior orbicularis oris muscle during saliva swallowing in children with CLP compared to controls.
- Children with CLP and abnormal lip seal exhibited the highest IEMG activity during swallowing.
Conclusions:
- Elevated superior orbicularis oris muscle activity during swallowing in children with CLP may exert a greater counteracting force on the growing maxilla.
- This increased muscular force, occurring frequently during the 24-hour day, could have long-term implications for stomatognathic system development in children with CLP.
Abstract:
An analysis of integrated electromyographic (IEMG) activity of the superior orbicularis oris muscle was undertaken in 15 children with cleft lip and palate who have undergone surgery compared to 10 children without clefts (control group). Bipolar surface electrodes were used for IEMG recordings of resting level activity and during the swallowing of saliva. Similar resting level activity was observed in both groups. During the swallowing of saliva, activity in children with cleft lip and palate was higher than in children without clefts (noncleft children). Moreover, in the cleft lip and palate group, children with abnormal lip seal showed the highest values for IEMG activity during the swallowing of saliva. This fact suggests that with each swallow of saliva, a greater counteracting effect of the superior orbicularis oris muscle could be produced on the growing maxilla. This may result in a significant long-term effect on the growth of the stomatognathic system, since the process of swallowing is a 24-hour function repeated between 600 and 2400 times each day.