Infantile swallowing: surgical meaning

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Pediatric Dentistry

Background:

• Dento-skeletal III class malocclusion often requires surgical correction.
• Infantile swallowing (I.S.) is a contributing factor to surgical relapse in these cases.
• Pre- and post-surgical management of I.S. is crucial for treatment success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the causes of surgical relapses in patients with dento-skeletal III class and I.S.
• To highlight the consequences of untreated I.S. on surgical outcomes.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a pre- and post-surgery protocol for I.S. in preventing relapses.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 30 patients with dento-skeletal III class and I.S. treated between 2006 and 2014.
• Surgical protocol included Le Fort I and Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy (BSSO).
• Patients underwent pre- and post-surgery protocols addressing I.S.

Main Results:

• No skeletal relapses were recorded in the 30 patients treated with the comprehensive protocol.
• Three patients who did not undergo I.S. protocols experienced relapses post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• Surgical errors are not the sole cause of relapse; untreated I.S. is a significant factor.
• Untreated I.S. can lead to bicortical screw derangement and improper bone formation, impacting surgical stability.
• A pre- and post-surgery protocol for I.S. is essential for preventing relapses in dento-skeletal III class surgical cases.