Postural evaluation in children with atypical swallowing: radiographic study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Atypical swallowing patterns in children can influence craniofacial development.
• Understanding the relationship between swallowing function and cranial posture is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cranial posture in children with atypical swallowing during mixed dentition.
• To compare cephalometric measurements between children with atypical and normal swallowing.

Main Methods:

• Lateral teleradiographs were analyzed using cephalometric analysis.
• Measurements included the angle between the odontoid process and cranial base (CC1) and the odontoid process and Frankfurt plane (CC2).
• Two groups were studied: 55 children with atypical swallowing (experimental) and 55 with normal swallowing (control).

Main Results:

• The mean CC1 angle was significantly higher in the atypical swallowing group (99.95°) compared to the control group (96.42°).
• The mean CC2 angle was also significantly greater in the atypical swallowing group (90.60°) versus the control group (86.35°).

Conclusions:

• Atypical swallowing in children is associated with increased CC1 and CC2 angles.
• These findings suggest a link between abnormal swallowing mechanics and altered cranial posture in the mixed dentition stage.